Editor's Pick: UPSC tightens guidelines for appointment of State police chiefs

In amended guidelines, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has informed that only police officers with at least six months of service left before retirement will be considered for appointment as the Director-General of Police (DGP) of a State. The Empanelment Committee constituted by the UPSC will also not assess Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on central deputation for the State DGP post if the Home Ministry refuses to relieve those officers. The amended guidelines allow officers with 25 years of experience to be appointed as DGP, as against the earlier requirement of a minimum 30 years of service. The amendments are important as several States have been choosing to appoint acting DGPs instead of regular DGPs, bypassing the requirement to go through the UPSC-selected panel of eligible officers. Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have all appointed “in-charge” DGPs, or DGPs with “full additional charge”. Uttar Pradesh has not had a full-time DGP since 2022. Another contention to standard appointments was recently noticed in Punjab. Former Punjab DGP V.K. Bhawra moved the Central Administrative Tribunal against the appointment of Gaurav Yadav as acting DGP by the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab in July 2022. Mr. Bhawra was transferred before two years of his term – the fixed tenure for a State DGP according to UPSC rules – were completed. Although police are a State subject, UPSC appoints IPS officers of All India Services on behalf of the Union government. The revised guidelines are also expected to deter States from appointing “favourite officers” about to retire in a bid to extend their tenure, a government source said. The committee to appoint the State DGP is headed by the UPSC Chairman and includes the Union Home Secretary, the State’s Chief Secretary and DGP, and one of the heads of the Central Armed Police Forces nominated by the Ministry of Home Affairs who is not from the same State cadre. The Hindu’s Editorials Malware malice: On the Apple cyberattack alert Virtues of planning: On the Vision India@2047 plan The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Tamil Nadu government filed a writ petition against governor R.N. Ravi over what concerns? Petrol bomb attack Anti NEET Bill Bribery Delay in clearning Bills To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 02 November 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( UPSC tightens guidelines for appointment of State police chiefs In amended guidelines, the [Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has informed that only police officers]( at least six months of service left before retirement will be considered for appointment as the Director-General of Police (DGP) of a State. The Empanelment Committee constituted by the UPSC will also not assess Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on central deputation for the State DGP post if the Home Ministry refuses to relieve those officers. The amended guidelines allow officers with 25 years of experience to be appointed as DGP, as against the earlier requirement of a minimum 30 years of service. The amendments are important as several States have been choosing to appoint acting DGPs instead of regular DGPs, bypassing the requirement to go through the UPSC-selected panel of eligible officers. Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have all appointed “in-charge” DGPs, or DGPs with “full additional charge”. Uttar Pradesh has not had a full-time DGP since 2022. Another contention to standard appointments was recently noticed in Punjab. Former Punjab DGP V.K. Bhawra moved the Central Administrative Tribunal against the appointment of Gaurav Yadav as acting DGP by the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab in July 2022. Mr. Bhawra was transferred before two years of his term – the fixed tenure for a State DGP according to UPSC rules – were completed. Although police are a State subject, UPSC appoints IPS officers of All India Services on behalf of the Union government. The revised guidelines are also expected to deter States from appointing “favourite officers” about to retire in a bid to extend their tenure, a government source said. The committee to appoint the State DGP is headed by the UPSC Chairman and includes the Union Home Secretary, the State’s Chief Secretary and DGP, and one of the heads of the Central Armed Police Forces nominated by the Ministry of Home Affairs who is not from the same State cadre. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Malware malice: On the Apple cyberattack alert]( [Arrow][Virtues of planning: On the Vision India@2047 planÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Tamil Nadu government filed a writ petition against governor R.N. 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