New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The selection process for the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Odisha has reached the Supreme Court, which on Tuesday agreed to hear a petition alleging that the state government was attempting to circumvent the court’s directions on appointment of state police chiefs.
The petition alleges that the Odisha government is seeking to promote an Additional Director General of Police (ADG) to the DGP rank and subsequently include the officer in a fresh panel sent to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for consideration.
The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana agreed to hear the matter urgently and said it would be listed on Wednesday.
The development comes amid the ongoing process to select a successor to incumbent Odisha DGP Y B Khurania (IPS: 1990: OD), who is scheduled to retire on August 16, 2026.
Petition Alleges Attempt to Circumvent Supreme Court Guidelines
Senior advocate P Chidambaram, appearing for the petitioner, told the bench that the Odisha government was attempting to circumvent the Supreme Court’s directions governing the appointment of DGPs.
The petition relies on the Supreme Court’s landmark 2006 Prakash Singh judgment and subsequent directions, under which the state government is required to select the DGP from among the three senior-most officers who have been empanelled by the UPSC for promotion to the rank.
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The petition further referred to the requirement that the selected DGP should ordinarily have a minimum tenure of two years, irrespective of the date of superannuation.
According to the petitioner, the state is now attempting to introduce an officer who was not part of the eligible DGP-level pool by first promoting the officer from ADG to DG rank.
Odisha Allegedly Withdrew Earlier Panel
The petition claimed that the UPSC was scheduled to meet on August 7 to consider the panel of three eligible DGP-level officers for Odisha.
However, according to the submissions before the Supreme Court, the Odisha government subsequently withdrew the list and began preparing a fresh panel.
Chidambaram alleged that the state was attempting to promote an ADG and then include the officer in the revised list sent to the UPSC.
The senior counsel argued that the issue was being raised through a PIL because serving police officers who could potentially be affected by the selection process would ordinarily be reluctant to challenge the state government.
“No serving officer will file a writ petition,” Chidambaram submitted before the court.
Supreme Court Says UPSC Must Ensure Compliance
The Supreme Court noted that, under its earlier directions, the UPSC was expected to ensure compliance with the court’s requirements concerning DGP appointments.
The bench observed that the commission was aware of the eligibility requirements and the officers who could legitimately be considered.
The court indicated that if a panel containing ineligible officers was sent to the UPSC, the commission would be expected to act in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions.
The matter is now scheduled for detailed hearing on Wednesday.
Odisha Had Earlier Sent 11 Names to UPSC
The controversy follows changes in the panel of officers proposed for consideration.
The Odisha government had initially sent a list of three DG-ranked officers to the UPSC in April. The names included:
- Sudhansu Sarangi (IPS: 1990: OD)
- R P Koche (IPS: 1993: OD)
- Susanta Nath (IPS: 1993: OD)
The state subsequently expanded the list to 11 officers in May by adding eight officers serving in the ADG rank.
The process became more complicated with the state’s latest promotions to the DG rank.
Sanjeeb Panda and YK Jethwa Promoted to DG Rank
On Monday, the Odisha government promoted two 1994-batch IPS officers – Sanjeeb Panda and Y K Jethwa – from the ADG grade to the DG rank.
Panda is currently heading the Anti-Naxal Operations unit, while Jethwa is serving as Director, Vigilance.
Panda’s promotion is particularly significant because his name has emerged prominently in the race for the next Odisha DGP.
His elevation to DG rank makes him eligible for consideration in the DGP selection process, subject to the UPSC’s empanelment and the Supreme Court’s guidelines.
Why Sanjeeb Panda’s Promotion Matters
Panda’s promotion came at a crucial point in the selection process, with the retirement of Khurania less than a week away.
The UPSC’s earlier empanelment exercise had remained inconclusive, and the state was expected to forward a fresh panel after completing the necessary promotions.
Panda is a senior officer with experience in anti-Naxal operations, and his elevation to the DG rank potentially changes the composition of officers available for consideration.
However, the PIL now raises the question of whether an officer promoted from ADG to DG at this stage can legitimately be included in the fresh panel sent to the UPSC.
Prakash Singh Guidelines at Centre of Dispute
At the heart of the dispute are the safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court in the Prakash Singh case concerning appointment of state police chiefs.
The petition argues that the process must adhere to the court’s requirement that the state select its DGP from among the three senior-most officers who have been empanelled by the UPSC based on factors including length of service, a very good service record and the range of experience required to head the police force.
The petitioner has alleged that Odisha’s proposed course of action could undermine these safeguards.
The Supreme Court’s Wednesday hearing is therefore expected to bring greater clarity on whether the fresh panel proposed by Odisha complies with the court’s existing directions.
DGP Khurania Set to Retire on August 16
The issue has assumed urgency because incumbent DGP Y B Khurania is due to retire on August 16.
With the selection process still unresolved and the Supreme Court now seized of the matter, the appointment of Odisha’s next police chief faces another significant legal hurdle.
The apex court’s response could determine how the state proceeds with the fresh panel and whether recently promoted DG-ranked officers can be considered in the process.
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