The Supreme Court of India seems determined to put an end to the practice of adhocism adopted by several state governments, which prefer to have acting or interim police chiefs instead of appointing regular DGPs. That is the reason behind the apex court issuing notices to eight states and the Centre on September 3 while hearing a petition seeking the appointment of regular DGPs in these states. These states had been issued notices on September 30 as well.
The states which have been issued notices include, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Punjab, and Jharkhand. Barring Odisha, all these states are currently having temporary police chief designated as acting DGP.
Having temporary DGP is a clear violation of the Supreme Court’s guidelines, for the appointment of the chiefs of state police force, issued in the famous Prakash Singh case in 2006. According to guidelines, the state police chief has to be appointed on a regular basis for the fixed tenure of two years from the panel shortlisted by the UPSC.
What has caused concern for the apex court to deal with the issue with determination is the fact that there has been an increasing trend among the state governments to give additional charge of the police chief’s post to a DG-rank officer and designate him as acting DGP rather than appointing regular DGPs as per SC’s guidelines.
