The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Tamil Nadu government for appointing an acting Director General of Police (DGP) instead of a regular chief, and directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to expedite its recommendations to facilitate a permanent appointment.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and Atul S Chandurkar was hearing a contempt petition filed by lawyer Henri Tiphagne, challenging the state’s decision to appoint G. Venkatraman as the acting DGP on August 31. The petitioner argued that such an ad hoc appointment violated the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment in the Prakash Singh case, which mandated transparent procedures for appointing police chiefs.
“Why do you have an acting DGP?” the bench asked the Tamil Nadu government, questioning its deviation from the established norms.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the state, explained that the appointment was temporary since one of the eligible officers had moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) seeking inclusion of his name in the UPSC panel.
The bench, however, directed, “We request the UPSC to consider the matter expeditiously. On the recommendation received from the UPSC, the respondent states shall take steps for appointing a regular DGP.”
The contempt plea highlighted that as per the Prakash Singh ruling, states are required to send proposals to the UPSC at least three months in advance of an incumbent’s retirement to ensure timely appointment of a regular DGP.
The court’s directive now puts the onus on the UPSC to quickly finalise its recommendations, paving the way for Tamil Nadu to comply with the mandated process and avoid further legal complications.
