Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court has deferred further hearing on the selection and appointment of Odisha’s next Director General of Police (DGP) to September 22, with the proceedings focusing on questions surrounding the eligibility and empanelment of IPS officers for the post.
The matter came up before the Supreme Court on Thursday, September 17, with amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran raising issues concerning the lists prepared for the DGP selection process. The questions include the exclusion of senior IPS officer Susanta Kumar Nath from the eligibility list and concerns relating to the integrity certificate of an officer included in the process.
Questions Over Odisha DGP Eligibility List
The Odisha government had initially forwarded the names of three DG-rank officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for consideration in the process of preparing a panel for appointment of the state police chief.
According to reports, questions were subsequently raised after additional officers were brought into the selection process. The amicus curiae also questioned the inclusion of two officers who were promoted to the DGP rank after the original eligibility list had already been forwarded to the UPSC.
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The proceedings have therefore brought into focus whether the eligibility and empanelment process followed by the state remained consistent after changes in the status and ranks of the officers concerned.
Susanta Kumar Nath’s Exclusion Under Scrutiny
One of the specific issues raised before the Supreme Court concerns the exclusion of senior IPS officer Susanta Kumar Nath from the eligibility list.
Nath is a 1993-batch Odisha-cadre IPS officer and was listed by the state among the three DG-rank officers initially identified as eligible for consideration for the DGP post. An Odisha Home Department file reported by OrissaPOST identified Dr Sudhanshu Sarangi, Susanta Kumar Nath and Raosaheb Punjabrao Koche as the three officers meeting the stated eligibility conditions at the time of the original proposal.
The amicus also raised an issue concerning the integrity certificate of an officer, adding another point of scrutiny to the eligibility and empanelment exercise.
What Is the Dispute Over Additional Officers?
The proceedings also concern the subsequent inclusion of officers who were promoted to the rank of DGP after the initial list had been sent to the UPSC.
Reports indicate that the original eligibility list was forwarded by the Odisha government to the UPSC in May 2026. Subsequent promotions in August led to changes in the pool of officers under consideration, prompting questions about whether those officers could subsequently be included in the process.
The issue is significant because the DGP selection procedure requires the UPSC to prepare a panel from among eligible senior officers before the state government makes the appointment.
Link to Supreme Court’s Prakash Singh Guidelines
The case is connected to the Supreme Court’s directions in the 2006 Prakash Singh judgment concerning police reforms and the appointment of state police chiefs.
Under the framework laid down by the court, the UPSC is to prepare a panel of eligible senior officers for consideration for appointment as the state DGP. The present proceedings have raised questions about whether the changes made to Odisha’s eligibility list and the subsequent inclusion of officers conform to that framework.
The petition challenging the process has also raised concerns over transparency and compliance with the prescribed procedure.
Odisha DGP Selection: What Happens Next?
The Supreme Court has now listed the matter for September 22. The next hearing is expected to consider the questions raised regarding the eligibility list, empanelment, subsequent promotions and the inclusion of additional officers in the selection process.
The proceedings are significant for the appointment of Odisha’s next DGP following the vacancy in the top police post. The eventual outcome of the case will determine the further course of the selection process.
