U.P. Cabinet clears new rules for appointment of DGP through selection committee

With this, the government will not have to send names to the Union Public Service Commission panel for the appointment of the State Police chief

Uttar Pradesh cabinet has approved new guidelines for the selection and appointment of the State’s police chief by a committee chaired by a retired High Court judge.

Under the ‘Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh Selection and Appointment Rules, 2024’, cleared by the state Cabinet on Monday evening, the government need not have to send names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to select the State’s DGP.

“The objective of the Appointment Rules, 2024 is to establish an independent and transparent mechanism for selection of a suitable person for appointment to the post of Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure that the said selection is free from political or executive interference and is also in accordance with the specific conditions and policing requirements of Uttar Pradesh,” stated the new guidelines.

The selection committee for appointing the new DGP will be headed by a retired High Court judge, with the Chief Secretary, a UPSC nominee, Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) chairman or nominee, Home Department additional chief secretary or principal secretary, and a retired State DGP as its members, as per the guidelines.

To be eligible for selection, candidates must have six months of service remaining on the date of creation of the vacancy, with officers who are currently serving in the Director General (DG) role at Level 16 of the pay matrix will be considered for selection. The minimum tenure of the DGP will be two years, the guidelines said.

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav took potshots at the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath calling the decision as Delhi vs Lucknow 2.0.

“I have heard that arrangements are made to give a permanent post to a senior office and extend his tenure by two years. The question is whether the individual making the arrangement will himself stay for two years. Is this an attempt to take the reins from Delhi into one’s own hands, Delhi vs Lucknow 2.0,” wrote Mr. Yadav in Hindi, on X (formerly Twitter).

Published - November 05, 2024 11:25 am IST