Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of a petition challenging the Odisha government’s procedure for selecting the state’s next Director General of Police (DGP) to September 16.
The hearing assumed added significance after senior IPS officer Sushant Nath, whose name had figured in an earlier list of potential contenders for the DGP’s post, reportedly moved an impleadment petition before the Supreme Court.
The proceedings also saw Amicus Curiae Raju Ramachandran question the procedure adopted for empanelment of officers for the top police post, while senior advocate Karuna Nundy, appearing for Nath, challenged his exclusion from the list forwarded by the Odisha government to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Sushant Nath Challenges Exclusion From DGP Selection Process
During the hearing, senior advocate Karuna Nundy argued that Sushant Nath’s exclusion from the list of officers forwarded by the Odisha government to the UPSC for empanelment was contrary to the principles of justice.
Nundy submitted that Nath’s integrity certificate had been taken into consideration and highlighted his unblemished career in the police service.
She also pointed out that Nath is a President’s Police Medal awardee, citing the recognition as evidence of his distinguished service and integrity.
Read Also: From Kalinganagar to Cybercrime: The Long Journey of Odisha DGP Vinaytosh Mishra
Nath’s intervention comes against the backdrop of the ongoing legal challenge to the state’s process of selecting the next DGP. His name had figured in an earlier list of potential candidates, but he was subsequently not included among the officers whose names were forwarded to the UPSC for consideration.
Through the impleadment plea, Nath has sought to place his concerns regarding his exclusion before the Supreme Court.
Amicus Raises Questions Over Empanelment Procedure
The court proceedings also focused on the broader question of whether the procedure followed by the Odisha government conforms to the Supreme Court’s directions governing the appointment of state police chiefs.
Amicus Curiae Raju Ramachandran, in his written submissions, raised questions over the procedure adopted for empanelment of candidates for the Odisha DGP’s post.
He contended that the process did not conform to the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in the landmark Prakash Singh judgment, which governs the selection and appointment of state police chiefs.
The amicus’s submissions have added another layer to the challenge before the Supreme Court, which is examining whether the state government’s procedure is consistent with the safeguards and principles established by the court for DGP appointments.
Petition Challenges Consideration of Junior-Rank Officers
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Supreme Court challenges the procedure adopted by the Odisha government for selecting its next police chief.
The petitioners have alleged that the state government departed from the principles laid down in the Prakash Singh judgment by considering officers of a junior rank, including those serving as Additional Director General of Police (ADGP).
According to the petitioners, the process should instead have been restricted to the three senior-most eligible officersin accordance with the applicable Supreme Court guidelines.
The dispute, therefore, goes beyond the candidature of an individual officer and raises questions over the manner in which the state government prepared and forwarded its list of potential candidates to the UPSC.
Centre Seeks More Time to Respond
During Monday’s proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, sought additional time to respond to the written submissions made by the amicus curiae and arguments advanced by other counsels.
The Supreme Court allowed the request and adjourned the matter for further hearing on September 16, 2026.
The additional time sought by the Centre comes as the court considers the competing submissions concerning the legality and procedure of the Odisha government’s DGP selection process.
UPSC Asked Not to Finalise DGP Panel
The Supreme Court has also directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) not to finalise the panel of probable candidates for the Odisha DGP’s post until the court considers the challenge to the selection process.
The direction effectively keeps the empanelment process on hold while the court examines the allegations regarding the procedure followed by the Odisha government.
The next hearing on September 16 is therefore expected to be significant for determining the future course of the DGP selection process.
Leadership Vacancy After B Khurania’s Retirement
The legal dispute comes at a time when Odisha is already functioning under an interim police chief following the retirement of former DGP B. Khurania on August 16.
Senior IPS officer Binaytosh Mishra is currently serving as the in-charge/interim DGP of Odisha.
The selection of a full-time DGP has consequently assumed importance, with the Supreme Court’s intervention now putting the state’s empanelment process under judicial scrutiny.
The case will next be heard on September 16, 2026, when the Supreme Court is expected to consider the submissions of the Centre, the amicus curiae, the petitioners and Sushant Nath’s intervention in the matter.
Also read: The Man Who Policed Kosovo, Guarded Ladakh and Now Leads Uttarakhand Police | DGP Deepam Seth
