Supreme Court asks if UPSC panel decides on DGP's hiring

In the implementation of its police reforms order, the Supreme Court took an unprecedented step by summoning the secretary of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in person on Wednesday to explain whether the empanelment of senior IPS officers for the post of director general of police (DGP) was being done by the commission or the Centre.

The apex court's 2006 judgment required states to send a panel of names to the UPSC, which had to empanel the officers and return their recommendation to the states on who is to be the next DGP.

On Tuesday, when the court took up the implementation of its order, it was faced with a submission by advocate Prashant Bhushan assisting the court on behalf of the petitioner Prakash Singh, himself a former DGP. Bhushan said that contrary to the Supreme Court's directive, the list of senior IPS officers is prepared by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and not the UPSC.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI), felt this position needs to be clarified, particularly when several states of Bihar, Punjab, and Haryana had brought their own laws amending this position.