SC tells UPSC secy to appear before it, asks whether panel prepares list of officers for appointment as DGP

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the UPSC secretary to appear before it Wednesday to apprise it whether the empanelment of IPS officers for promotion as director generals of police in states was being done by the commission. “Before we proceed any further, we would like the secretary of the Union Public Service Commission to apprise the court by tomorrow, that is 16 January, at 10.30 am as to whether empanelment of IPS officers for promotion to the rank of DGP in different states of the Union is made by the UPSC in the discharge of its functions,” the bench, also comprising justices L Nageswara Rao and SK Kaul, said. The apex court was hearing applications of various state governments, including Punjab, Haryana and Bihar, seeking to implement their local laws regarding selection and appointment of DGP. At the outset, the bench said that a 2006 apex court verdict on police reforms had said that its directions, including the fixed two-year tenure for DGPs, will remain in force till the states come up up with their laws. The apex court had on 12 December, extended till 31 January the tenures of present DGPs of Punjab and Haryana and agreed to hear the states’ pleas seeking to implement their local laws regarding selection and appointment of the police chief.