January 16, 2019
The bench comprising of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice L. Nageswara Rao and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul dismissed plea by State of Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Punjab & Haryana to appoint Director General of State Police (DGP)
In a setback to Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Punjab & Haryana, the Supreme Court on Wednesday declined their plea seeking they be allowed to appoint Director General of State Police (DGP) through their own selection process instead of approaching the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Dismissing the applications by the six states seeking modification of July 3, 2018, order mandating them to approach the UPSC for preparing a panel for the appointment of DGP's, a Supreme Court bench said the order was "wholesome" and in "public interest". In the said order it was directed by the Supreme Court that "None of the states shall ever conceive of the idea of appointing any person on the post of DGP on acting basis" as there is no concept of acting DGP in the Apex court's 2006 directions for ushering in police reforms.
The states contended that policing was the State subject and that they alone should have the power to appoint the head of the police force.
The Apex court dismissed the plea after hearing the UPSC's Secretary who mentioned that post 2006 judgement, giving direction for ushering in police reforms, the Commission had issued guidelines for the appointment of DGPs in the states.
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