SC rejects pleas of 5 states to choose their police chiefs

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to modify its July 2018 verdict on the selection and appointment of state police chiefs. It said the directions in the judgment “are wholesome and would serve the public interest”.

A Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi-led bench rejected pleas of five states – Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Haryana, and Bihar – to modify the July 2018 verdict to let them apply local laws to select their police chiefs. The directions had also put in abeyance implementation of the state laws.

The top court had on July 3 issued directions on police reforms and underlined the steps for appointment of regular police chiefs.

It said the states will have to send a list of senior police officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at least three months prior to the retirement of the incumbent.

The commission will then prepare a panel and inform the states, which, in turn, will appoint one of the persons from that list.

The states submitted the choice of the police chiefs should be left to them since it pertains to a state subject.

The Centre had suggested the constitution of a composite committee comprising representatives of the Union and the state government concerned for the appointment of a police chief.

The five states had told the court that they have framed a comprehensive law, dealing with the procedures to appoint police chiefs in pursuance of the 2006 apex court verdict on police reforms.

The court’s directions had come following an application

the Centre had filed, saying certain states have been appointing acting police chiefs and then making them permanent just before the dates of their retirement.

It said it was being done to enable them get the benefit of additional two-year tenure until the age of 62.