Paper: GS – II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Institutions, Issue: DGP Appointment Process.
Context:
The recent controversy surrounding the appointment of a regular Director-General of Police/Head of Police Force (DGP/HOPF) in Tamil Nadu.
Key Takeaways:
The Row Over Selecting Head of Police Force in T.N.:
- Tamil Nadu is currently embroiled in a dispute concerning the appointment of a regular DGP/HOPF.
- The state failed to appoint a successor in time for the outgoing DGP, leading to the appointment of G. Venkatraman as the in-charge DGP.
Supreme Court’s Guidelines on Appointing a Director-General of Police/Head of Police Force:
- The Supreme Court, in the landmark case of Prakash Singh versus Union of India (2006), established detailed guidelines for the selection and appointment of State DGPs/HoPF.
- These guidelines aim to ensure transparency, meritocracy, and stability in the appointment process. The key directives are:
- Selection Panel: The State Government must select the DGP from among the three seniormost officers of the department.
- UPSC Empanelment: These officers must be empanelled for promotion to that rank by the UPSC.
- Criteria for Selection: The selection should be based on the officers’ length of service, very good record, and range of experience in heading the police force.
- Minimum Tenure: The selected officer must be granted a minimum tenure of two years, irrespective of their date of superannuation. This ensures stability and prevents politically motivated transfers.
- Timely Proposal to UPSC: State governments are required to send proposals to the UPSC at least three months before the anticipated vacancy of the DGP.
- This proposal should outline the eligible officers to be considered for the post.
- In the current case, Tamil Nadu failed to adhere to the timeline, submitting its proposal to the UPSC on August 29, 2025, instead of the required three months before the previous DGP’s retirement on August 30, 2025.
The Contempt Plea:
- The contempt plea arose after advocate Henri Tiphagne alleged that the Tamil Nadu government committed contempt of court by appointing an in-charge DGP, rather than following the Supreme Court’s guidelines for a regular appointment.
- Currently, a new case has been filed by Petitioner Kishore Krishnaswamy against the State, alleging wilful contempt for appointing an in-charge DGP and withholding the appointment of a candidate from the panel of three IPS officers.
- The Supreme Court has sought the State’s response within three weeks.
The matter remains unresolved, with the State government facing scrutiny for its handling of the DGP appointment process and its adherence to the Supreme Court’s guidelines.
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