Observers say that the transfers are on account of, among other things, the approaching general elections. While T R Kakkar, NSG chief, has replaced Nikhil, the latter will now head NSG. The new Police Commissioner of the Capital is Ajay Raj Sharma, till now the additional director general of the Border Security Force (BSF), while V N Singh goes to the BSF on the newly created post of special director general.

Sources in the North Block link Nikhil's as-yet-unexplained exit with that of the former Home Secretary B P Singh. Many see a pattern in the two transfers. But inthe case of Nikhil, it is being argued, that the Government wanted to shift him prior to the election notification as it could not have done it after that. One of the most important posts, the special secretary in-charge of internal security is the key man in North Block whose functions include accessing intelligence reports, keeping an eye on the deployment of para-military forces and also check on the law and order situation in various States.

Ajay Raj Sharma's appointment as the new Delhi Police chief too has raised eyebrows but for different reasons. He's a UP cadre officer, and after P S Bhindar (who occupied the post in early 80s), the only one from UP cadre to have been chosen for the job. Sharma, observers say, was chosen over others for several reasons. Among many qualities being attributed to him are his skills in intelligence-gathering and law and order arrangements for which he was particularly known in the BSF. V N Singh's premature transfer was, in any case, in the offing. It became clearearly this month when in a meeting at his North Block office, Union Home Secretary Kamal Pandey lambasted the Delhi's top cops for the city's deteriorating law and order situation.

The move to appoint a new police chief is also prompted by political compulsions, point out sources. During the run-up to the elections and for a place like Delhi, it is argued, the Home Ministry is in no mood to give any handle to the Congress-run state government to cry foul on account of rising crime and inefficient police force.