HC notices to State, Centre over Shivadhar Reddy appointment as in-charge DGP

Justice Pulla Karthik of Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to send the panel of officers eligible for appointment for the post of Director General of Police as per the procedure laid down in the Supreme Court ruling in Prakash Singh vs Union of India matter.

The judge passed this order in a writ petition filed by T. Dhangopal Rao, a public interest social activist from Hyderabad, challenging the appointment of B. Shivadhar Reddy as State police chief. Justice Karthik also directed the State government to finalise the process of sending the list of officers eligible and file the compliance report by January 7.

The government, on September 26, issued GO Routine no. 1338 (General Administration Department) appointing Mr. Shivadhar Reddy as DGP (coordination) following the retirement of the then DGP Dr. Jitender. The GO said Mr. Shivadhar Reddy was placed in full additional charge of the post of Director General of Police (Head of Police Force) until further orders.

On October 10, Mr. Dhangopal Rao filed a writ petition seeking a direction to quash the GO, contending that Mr. Shivadhar Reddy’s appointment was against the law laid down by the apex court in an order issued on July 3, 2018 in the Prakash Singh case. His lawyer argued that the SC held that ‘none of the States shall ever conceive of the idea of appointing any persons to the post of DGP on an acting basis, for there is no concept of acting DGP.

The judge declined the plea of petitioner to pass an order to discontinue Mr. Shivadhar Reddy as DGP (HoPF) since the appointment was temporary in nature. The SC order mandated that a permanent DGP (HoPF) should be appointed. The issue would be adjudicated once the State government files its counter affidavit.

The government sent a list of officers eligible for appointment as DGP on April 25. The Union Public Service Commission had sought some clarifications with regard to IPS officer Abhilasha Bisht, whose name was in the list. Due to the clarifications raised by the UPSC and the replies from the State government, there was a delay in sending the panel of names for selection of DGP.