SC authorises UPSC to flag states delaying DGP appointments

The Supreme Court authorised the UPSC to flag states delaying DGP appointments and gave it four weeks to recommend a DGP for Telangana. The court cited repeated violations of its Prakash Singh guidelines on police reforms

New Delhi: Taking serious note of the inordinate delay by several states in sending proposals for the appointment of Directors General of Police (DGPs), the Supreme Court on Thursday authorised the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to bring such instances to its notice.

The apex court granted four weeks to the UPSC to convene a meeting and make recommendations for the appointment of a DGP for Telangana, where the last regular DGP retired in 2017.

---

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi fully endorsed the concerns expressed by the UPSC regarding the delays by several states in sending proposals for DGP appointments in line with the court’s directions in the Prakash Singh case.

In the Prakash Singh case, which relates to police reforms, the apex court had laid down guidelines mandating the selection of DGPs from among three senior-most IPS officers empanelled by the UPSC and fixing a two-year tenure for them.

The UPSC told the bench that delays by states deprive meritorious and senior officers of the opportunity to be considered for appointment as DGP.

The Commission said several states continue to delay sending proposals for DGP appointments in total disregard of the apex court’s directions and instead prefer ad hoc arrangements by appointing acting DGPs.

“In order to ensure that there is no defiance of the directions issued in the Prakash Singh case, we hereby authorise the UPSC to first write to the state governments to send timely proposals for the appointment of DGPs,” the bench said.

The top court directed the UPSC to move an application before it in the Prakash Singh case if proposals are not submitted on time by the states.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by the UPSC challenging a January 9 order of the Telangana High Court.

The high court had asked the Commission to complete the entire process of selecting a DGP for Telangana, preferably within four weeks, in accordance with the apex court’s guidelines and by continuing the process initiated by the state.

During the hearing, counsel for the UPSC said there was a serious lapse on the part of the Telangana government in not submitting the proposal within the timeframe prescribed in the Prakash Singh case.

The Commission said the last regular DGP in Telangana was appointed in November 2015 and retired in November 2017.

The bench noted the Commission’s concern that states’ failure to submit timely proposals for empanelment committee meetings had resulted in several senior officers either retiring or being overlooked or superseded.

“We hold without any hesitation that the UPSC should convene the empanelment committee meeting at the earliest and make recommendations for the appointment of a DGP for the state of Telangana,” the bench said.

It granted four more weeks to the Commission to complete the process.