Delhi’s top cop Sanjay Arora to retire on July 31

Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora will retire on July 31, 2025, after a nearly four-decade career; his exit marks a significant leadership change.

The Delhi government’s home department on Monday issued a formal notification announcing the retirement of Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on July 31, 2025, upon attaining the age of superannuation. A 1988-batch IPS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, Arora’s exit will mark the culmination of a nearly four-decade-long policing career.

Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora. (ANI)

The order, issued with the approval of Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena, has been sent to the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), police headquarters, the directorate of vigilance, and other relevant departments. However, officials said the notification is a routine administrative step typically issued two months ahead of the scheduled retirement of IAS and IPS officers.

“This is a standard procedure,” said a senior Delhi Police officer on condition of anonymity. “Similar notifications have been issued in the past even for officers who eventually received extensions. Since the power to appoint or extend the tenure of the Delhi Police chief lies solely with the MHA, nothing is certain until the end of July.”

Arora, who took charge as Delhi’s police commissioner on August 1, 2022, was the third officer from outside the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre to lead the city’s police, after Ajay Raaj Sharma and Rakesh Asthana. During his tenure, he was known for a composed leadership style and no-nonsense approach to policing, steering the force through several high-profile law and order situations.

Before his appointment in Delhi, Arora served as the director general of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and held key positions in Tamil Nadu and across various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). His leadership in anti-Naxal operations and efforts at strengthening inter-agency coordination were widely praised.

An engineering graduate, Arora was also part of the elite Special Protection Group (SPG), and had previously earned commendations for postings with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Arora’s legacy is expected to be defined by a push toward greater accountability within the force and adoption of new technologies to meet the capital’s evolving security needs.