New Delhi: In a jolt to many state governments, including Kerala, the Supreme Court on Tuesday vested the task of making DGP appointments with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The bench comprising chief justice Dipak Mishra, justices DY Chandrachud, and AM Khanwilkar issued a slew of directions on police reforms while hearing a petition by the centre seeking modifications in the judgement in the Prakash Singh case. (The Prakash Singh case pertains to police reforms).
The apex court said no state or union territory (UT) should appoint an acting DGP. The court said the states and UTs should send the names of prospective officers to the UPSC for it to make a choice well in advance. The court said the officer thus selected should also be ensured a fair term in office.
The UPSC would prepare a list of the 'most eligible' officers and the states could make an appointment from that, the court said. The SC said any law on the question of police appointments may be 'kept in abeyance.'
Former Kerala DGP TP Senkumar, who got a reinstatement from the SC after an unceremonious ouster, said the apex court order would ensure the free and fair functioning of the police.
Senkumar was transferred from the post of director general of police (law and order) two days after the CPM-led LDF government assumed office on May 25, 2016, and replaced by Loknath Behara.
The Kerala High Court had upheld the decision of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) which did not find any fault with the state government's order to transfer the senior IPS officer from the post of state police chief. Senkumar then moved the SC, which ordered his reinstatement.
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