Kamal Nath

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh government has rejected panel of three IPS officers sent by the Union public service commission (UPSC) for director general of police (DGP) on grounds that it overlooked “willingness” of one of them. Those named in the panel sent by UPSC were V K Singh, Vivek Johri and M S Gupt.

Singh is incumbent DGP. Kamal Nath government appointed him after Rishi Kumar Shukla became chief of CBI.

In a letter to the UPSC secretary, home secretary MP government Rajesh Kumar Jain wrote that Johri (1984 batch) has not given his ‘willingness’ for the post of DGP in writing and therefore naming him in the panel is against the mandate of UPSC’s guidelines for selection process.

“MP government therefore rejects recommendation made by UPSC and requests for a fresh meeting of the selection committee. State government will send a new proposal to the commission on the matter at the earliest,” Jain wrote.

MP government may be sending a panel comprising new list of IPS officers and the officers have already been shortlisted for the same, said sources. The 1985 batch IPS officer Rajendra Kumar - who is heading the SIT for honey trap scandal -- is on top of the new list, say sources.

Noteworthy that the Supreme court had rejected pleas made by five States to implement their own local laws for selection and appointment of their Director General of Police (DGP). The court had ruled that said its directions were issued in larger public interest and to protect the police officials from political interference. Petition was filed by Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Haryana and Bihar for modification in the apex court orders in the procedure to be followed for appointment of Directors General of Police (DGP).

SC also asked the Union Public Service Commission whether it was preparing panels of senior IPS officers for each state to pick its DGP in the last 10 years, i.e. in sync with its 2006 guidelines given in Prakash Singh case. This judgement is the follow up of December 12, 2018, order wherein the SC agreed to hear the States’ pleas seeking to implement their local laws regarding the selection and appointment of the police chief.

In July 2018, SC had refrained State governments from appointing DGPs without consulting UPSC) and framed following guidelines: State government have to send UPSC the names of the probables three months before the incumbent DGPs are to retire. Also that UPSC will prepare a panel of three officers fit to be DGP and send it back. And this commission shall, as far as practicable, choose the people within the zone of consideration who have got a clear two years of service and must give due weightage to merit and seniority. State, in turn, shall “immediately” appoint one of the persons shortlisted by the UPSC.

