Tripura informs SC of compliance with police reforms; DGP appointment underway

The Tripura government has apprised the Supreme Court that it was complying with the 2006 verdict on police reforms and had initiated the process for the appointment of a regular Director General of Police (DGP) on March 7.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar was hearing a PIL filed by NGO MONDRA through its president Bipin Chandra Kalai, challenging the government’s alleged failure to comply with court-mandated procedures over the DGP.

In a landmark 2006 verdict in the Prakash Singh case, the top court had recommended steps such as separating investigation from law and order duties while mandating states to consult the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) before appointing a DGP in subsequent orders.

It had also said the selection should be initiated well in advance before the retirement of the incumbent DGP and it should be based on seniority, experience, and merit.

Instead of an ad-hoc DGP, the SC had said, the state should appoint a regular DGP from the list of three senior IPS officers prepared by the UPSC among the list of senior officers provided by the state.

The plea, filed through advocate Anshuman Singh, highlighted the state's non-compliance with the established judicial directives meant to ensure transparency and meritocracy in police leadership appointments.

Senior advocate Vipin Sanghi, appearing for the NGO, alleged the state did not initiate the process for appointment of DGP as mandated by the apex court judgement.

A state government counsel, however, rebutted the petitioner's claims and handed over a letter in a sealed cover to the bench and said the process for the appointment of a new DGP was initiated on March 7.

He said the state government had been following the 2006 directives aside from the judgements that followed.

The state government said incumbent DGP Amitabh Ranjan assumed the charge on July 28, 2022 and was supposed demit office on May 31 this year.

"Learned counsel for the respondent (Tripura) has handed over a confidential letter, which will be kept in a sealed cover by the registry of this court. Accordingly, we are not issuing notice in the present petition. However, if there is a violation, the petitioner may file applications for the revival," the bench said.

Recording the state counsel's statement on the retirement of the incumbent DGP, the court said, "..it is submitted that the appointment will be made in the said period. We are taking the statement on record." The NGO, in the plea alleged the state government's "disregard" for the Supreme Court's directives issued in the Prakash Singh judgement.

The state government, it said, failed to initiate the prescribed process for appointing a new DGP and neither did it form a panel of eligible officers nor consult the UPSC as required by law.

With the last DGP appointment made in 2022, the petitioner said any appointment outside the mandated procedure "undermines the integrity of the selection process and opens the door to political interference".

On March 25, the top court said it would hear in May the pleas seeking implementation of its 2006 verdict on police reforms.