Preeta Verma. If she gets the nod, she’ll be Bihar’s first-ever woman DGP. Currently heading the Home Guard and Fire Service, Verma is the senior-most contender, with 30+ years in service; a key requirement. The selection isn’t automatic: the state will send 20 names to UPSC, who’ll shortlist 3. CM Samrat Choudhary then picks. Other top names? Kundan Krishnan, Jitendra Kumar, Amit Kumar; some even on central deputation. What makes this interesting? Kumar leaves behind a mixed legacy; praised for peaceful elections, slammed for controversial ‘half-encounters’. Verma’s potential appointment isn’t just symbolic; it signals a quiet but powerful shift in Bihar’s top brass. Will tradition or merit win? The final list is coming soon; and eyes are on Patna.