SC bans appointment of acting police chiefs
New Delhi, July 3: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed state governments to stop the practice of appointing acting police chiefs upon the superannuation of an incumbent top cop.
Instead, the states were asked to send, to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the names of three senior police officers who could be considered as probable candidates for the posts of Director General of Police (DGP) or Police Commissioners as the case may be.
The court said that the UPSC will prepare a panel of three senior most officers with a reasonable remaining tenure up to retirement (two years or close to it) and send it to the state government to pick one of them for appointment as police chief.
The recommendations should be sent three months before the retirement of a police chief.
The order came as the Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud passed a slew of directions on police reforms in the country.
The top court's direction to all the states and Union Territories came during the hearing of an application by the Centre seeking modification of its direction mandating compulsory two-year term, irrespective of the age of retirement, for the post of police chiefs.
The Central government told the court that some states were appointing politically convenient officers as acting police chiefs and when they get close to their retirement, they are appointed on regular basis thereby enjoying full term of two years, irrespective of the years left in their service.
The court did not modify its direction but it barred the state governments from appointing any officer as acting DGP.
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Power struggle in ruling Cong has 'created massive confusion' in Karnataka: BJP leader Ashoka
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday claimed that the ongoing power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar has created massive confusion in Karnataka.
He remarked that the proverb “when two people fight, the third one benefits” has come true, as AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge is also now making efforts to become Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters here, Ashoka said the entire government has turned into a house of confusion due to the alleged power tussle.
Kharge’s new statement has only added to the chaos, he said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had on Friday said that no date has been fixed yet to discuss possible leadership change in Karnataka.
This came a day after Kharge said there was no change of CM in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state would be resolved soon.
The BJP leader said that Kharge too has aspirations and that he was cheated earlier.
"Perhaps he has received a green signal from the Congress high command to become CM. Everyone is already saying Kharge should become CM. Kharge himself has declared, “I am ready to become CM.” Despite many attempts in the past, he never became CM. Now he is trying to seize the opportunity," the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly said.
According to him, the situation in Congress has perfectly become a case of “two people fighting, third one benefits.”
