SC directed UPSC not to finalise the selection of Odisha’s next DGP until August 18.
Odisha DGP Selection Put On Hold Till August 18: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) not to finalise the selection of Odisha’s next Director General of Police (DGP) until August 18. The order came after a PIL challenged the selection process.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant passed the direction after Senior Advocate P Chidambaram mentioned a Public Interest Litigation challenging the process of selecting the Odisha DGP. The petition alleges that the selection process does not follow the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in the landmark Prakash Singh judgment on police reforms.
Chidambaram told the court that the petition was listed for Thursday but was unlikely to be heard during the scheduled proceedings. He also alleged that an officer was promoted on Wednesday in a move that could facilitate the officer’s inclusion in the panel being considered by the UPSC. Odisha Advocate General Pitambar Acharya, however, denied any violation of the prescribed norms. He also questioned the maintainability of the PIL, arguing that the dispute relates to a service matter.
The Supreme Court bench also raised questions over whether the PIL was maintainable. CJI Surya Kant observed that none of the officers allegedly affected by the selection process had approached the court. The bench then sought the opinion of Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the Prakash Singh case. Ramachandran supported the petitioner’s claim, saying that Odisha’s DGP selection process violates the Supreme Court’s guidelines.
Taking note of the amicus curiae’s submission, the bench directed the counsel for the UPSC to defer the scheduled meeting. The Supreme Court will now consider the petition on August 18.
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