Supreme Court Rebukes Telugu States Over Appointment of Temporary DGPs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court expressed displeasure at the appointment of temporary Directors General of Police (DGPs) in violation of established guidelines by several state governments, including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. In response, the court issued contempt notices to these two states, along with six others, for disregarding its orders regarding the selection and appointment of DGPs.

A petition filed by Vinod Kumar from Haryana raised the issue in the Supreme Court, alleging that Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh had all appointed acting DGPs without following the proper procedures. According to the petitioner, these states had violated the Supreme Court’s directives on DGP appointments.

As per the rules, state governments are required to submit a list of senior DGP-rank officers who have at least six months of service remaining, three months before the retirement of the current DGP. The list is sent to a committee chaired by the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which is tasked with shortlisting three candidates based on merit and seniority.

However, the petitioner pointed out that the concerned states failed to follow this process and instead appointed temporary or ad-hoc DGPs, going against the Supreme Court’s previous rulings on the matter. The petition stressed that the appointment of DGPs must be based on the shortlisted names sent by the UPSC committee, and one of the three recommended officers should be appointed by the state government.

The Supreme Court, noting the violations, issued contempt notices to the governments of the eight states. The bench ordered the states to explain their stance on the matter by October 21, 2024. The court’s rebuke highlights the importance of following due process in the appointment of top law enforcement officers to ensure merit and transparency in key government positions.