2 weeks ago
Supreme Court Defers Odisha DGP Appointment Hearing Until September 2
The Supreme Court is examining how Odisha plans to choose its next police chief.
A petition says the state may be considering an officer who is too junior for the process.
The petitioner says this would go against rules set by the Supreme Court in an earlier case.
Odisha told the court that it had submitted an answer.
However, the judges had not received that answer in the case file.
So, they postponed the hearing until September 2.
The court had also temporarily stopped the UPSC from finalizing the possible candidates.
The rules say the police chief should be chosen from three senior officers approved by the UPSC.
The rules also say the selected police chief should normally have at least two years in office.
The Supreme Court deferred a PIL hearing concerning Odisha’s proposed appointment of a Director General of Police until September 2.
The petition alleges Odisha sought to include a junior officer in the probable-candidates list in breach of the 2006 Prakash Singh directions.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that Odisha had filed its response, but the reply was not yet on the court record.
The court had earlier directed the Union Public Service Commission not to finalize probable candidates before August 18.
The Prakash Singh directions require selection from among three senior-most UPSC-empanelled officers and provide for a minimum two-year tenure.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Odisha government, the Union Public Service Commission, and the petitioner represented by senior advocate P Chidambaram.
- What
- The court deferred a PIL hearing challenging the proposed process for appointing Odisha’s Director General of Police.
- Where
- The matter was heard by the Supreme Court in New Delhi.
- When
- The hearing was deferred on Tuesday until September 2; the incumbent DGP was due to leave office on August 16.
- Why
- The petitioner alleges that Odisha is trying to include a junior or ineligible officer in the candidate panel, contrary to Supreme Court directions.
Petitioner’s Allegations
Odisha Government’s Position
Eligibility of a junior officer
Petitioner’s Allegations
The petitioner alleges that Odisha is attempting to promote an Additional Director General of Police and include the officer in a fresh panel despite the eligibility requirements.
Odisha Government’s Position
Odisha has filed a response, according to the Solicitor General, but the article does not provide the government’s substantive defense or position on the officer’s eligibility.
Candidate-panel process
Petitioner’s Allegations
The petitioner says Odisha initially sent a panel in April, withdrew it, and later sent a second panel containing three DGPs and eight ADGPs.
Odisha Government’s Position
The Odisha government’s response was not yet on the court record, so its explanation for the changes to the panels had not been considered by the bench.
Key facts
- Next hearing
- September 2
- Case type
- Public Interest Litigation
- State involved
- Odisha
- Incumbent DGP
- Y B Khurania, who was to demit office on August 16
- Earlier court direction
- The UPSC was told not to finalize probable candidates before August 18
- Selection rule
- The DGP must be selected from three senior-most officers empanelled by the UPSC
- Minimum tenure rule
- The selected DGP should have a minimum tenure of two years, regardless of superannuation date
Sources
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