Get acting on culture of ‘acting’ DGP: MHA to 7 states
Author: BI Bureau
New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed states to adhere to the Supreme Court's guidelines on the appointment of Directors General of Police (DGPs) and refrain from appointing acting DGPs. Following reports of several states appointing temporary police chiefs despite eligible officers being available, the MHA issued a letter to seven states, including Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, urging them to comply with the SC directives.
The letter, sent from the office of the Union Home Secretary, emphasized the SC's directives in the Prakash Singh case regarding the appointment of DGPs. It stressed that temporary or "acting DGPs" should only be appointed in exceptional circumstances and urged states to appoint regular DGPs with a tenure of two years, as per the apex court's directions.
A senior official from the MHA reiterated the importance of adhering to SC directives and Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) guidelines in DGP appointments. The official clarified that the SC directions apply to states and not Union Territories, implying that a similar letter has not been sent to the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
While states argued against the SC judgement in the Prakash Singh case, citing flaws and the lack of discretion for the Chief Minister in choosing the DGP, the SC directives remain binding.
Several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab, have had acting DGPs for extended periods. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have recently appointed acting DGPs. Despite the availability of eligible officers, states have opted for temporary appointments, raising concerns about compliance with SC directives and the need for transparency and adherence to established procedures in DGP appointments. /BI Bureau/
