Supreme Court delays Odisha DGP selection process

The Supreme Court of India has directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to defer the finalization of Odisha’s next Director General of Police (DGP) until August 18. The order was issued by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant following urgent submissions by Senior Advocate P. Chidambaram regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

The petition alleges that the selection process for the state’s top police official violates the guidelines established in the landmark Prakash Singh judgment on police reforms. This judgment requires state governments to appoint DGPs from a panel of three senior-most officers empanelled by the UPSC based on service length, records, and experience.

Disputes have arisen over the eligibility list, which was expanded from an initial three DGP-ranked officers to 11 officers, including eight ADG-ranked officers. The court also considered whether the field of eligible officers could be altered after the selection process had begun. Amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran supported the contention that the current process violates Supreme Court guidelines.