The apex court has committed to investigating a variety of topics after two weeks, including the ad hoc appointment of DGPs in certain states. Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria made up the bench, which also said that it would review a
petition from petitioner and former DGP Prakash Singh to establish a system in which the Director General of Police (DGP) is chosen by a panel that includes the Chief Minister, the leader of the opposition, and the Chief Justice of the High Court.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan insisted that a three-person panel be established to select a qualified individual to serve as the DGP prior to the nomination of the CBI director. The bench also noted senior lawyer Anjana Prakash’s submission, in which she said that Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta’s appointment did not follow proper process. According to Central government regulations, Gupta was supposed to retire on April 30 after turning 60. However, it was believed that the state administration wrote to the Centre to request an extension of his term.
In an order for senior lawyer Raju Ramachandran to support the bench as an amicus curia, CJI Gavai requested copies of the petitions filed by the attorneys representing the various parties. Speaking on behalf of one of the parties, senior counsel Gopal Sankarnarayanan asserted that the 2006 Supreme Court ruling and its ensuing directives have not been carried out in their entirety. The petitions concern the application of the 2006 ruling on police reforms by the highest court, which suggested actions such as separating the tasks of law enforcement and investigation. The Supreme Court issued additional guidelines after 2006, one of which prohibited state governments from appointing anyone to the position of DGP on an as-needed or interim basis.
The Supreme Court went on to say that the state may designate any one of the three senior police officials on the list that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has prepared after consulting with the state government and other interested parties as DGP. Many have alleged that the apex court guidelines were being deliberately flouted by various state governments.
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