Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Supreme Court Questions Jharkhand Police Chief Appointment Rules
The Supreme Court is checking whether Jharkhand followed its earlier rules for choosing a police chief.
Those rules say a candidate should have at least six months left in service.
Jharkhand changed its rule to remove that requirement.
The state then appointed Tadasha Mishra as police chief one day before she was due to retire.
The court has not made a final decision about the rule or her appointment.
It has asked Mishra to respond because its decision could affect her job.
Jharkhand can reconsider the rule or explain its position to the court.
The case will be heard again in about a week.
The Supreme Court said Jharkhand’s DGP appointment rule appeared to conflict with its Prakash Singh ruling.
The disputed rule removed a requirement that DGP candidates have at least six months of service remaining.
Tadasha Mishra was appointed DGP on December 30, 2025, one day before her scheduled retirement.
The court issued Mishra notice because her appointment could be affected if the rule is struck down.
Jharkhand may reconsider the rule or file a response; the case is due back in a week.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Union government, the Jharkhand government, and DGP Tadasha Mishra.
- What
- The court is reviewing a challenge to Jharkhand’s DGP appointment rules and whether Mishra’s appointment may be affected.
- When
- The hearing took place on Thursday; the regulation was amended on December 29, 2025, and Mishra was appointed on December 30, 2025. The next hearing is after one week.
- Where
- The Supreme Court of India; the disputed regulations concern Jharkhand.
- Why
- The Union government says the rules conflict with the Supreme Court’s directions in the Prakash Singh case.
Union government
Jharkhand government
Validity of Jharkhand's rules
Union government
The Union government says the rules conflict with the Prakash Singh directions and should not stand.
Jharkhand government
Jharkhand’s counsel questioned the challenge, citing similar or more questionable provisions in other states; the state said it would revisit the rules.
Whether the Centre is selective
Union government
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the Union government is not choosing states politically and that any similarly inconsistent rules should also be removed.
Jharkhand government
Kapil Sibal questioned why the Centre challenged Jharkhand’s rules while similar provisions elsewhere had not been challenged in the same way.
- Regulation
- Selection and Appointment of Director General and Inspector General of Police, Jharkhand (Head of the Police Force) Regulation, 2025
- Regulation notified
- January 8, 2025
- Amendment
- On December 29, 2025, Jharkhand removed the requirement that DGP candidates have at least six months of service remaining.
- Mishra's appointment
- She was appointed DGP on December 30, 2025, a day before her scheduled retirement.
- Centre's challenge
- The Union government argues that the Jharkhand rules violate the Prakash Singh directions.
- Court's direction
- Mishra is to receive notice and an opportunity to respond; the state may reconsider the rule or file a response.
- Further review
- The court asked amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran to examine Jharkhand’s rules and other states’ regulations and appointments, with UPSC assistance.
