New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted an urgent hearing for a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that the Odisha government is attempting to sidestep established guidelines in appointing the state’s next Director General of Police (DGP).
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana posted the petition for hearing on Wednesday after Senior Advocate P Chidambaram mentioned the matter for urgent listing.
The controversy centers around the selection process to succeed incumbent DGP Y B Khurania, who is set to retire on August 16. Chidambaram argued that a PIL was necessary because serving police officers awaiting elevation would ordinarily be hesitant to initiate litigation against the state government.
According to the petitioner’s counsel, the state had initially forwarded a panel of officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in April, which it later withdrew. In May, Odisha submitted a revised panel featuring 11 senior IPS officers, comprising three DGP-ranked officers and eight Additional Directors General of Police (ADGPs). However, during an empanelment committee meeting on August 7, the UPSC demurred, indicating it would restrict its consideration strictly to eligible officers holding the rank of DGP. “…Then, on the meeting day, or the previous day, or during the meeting, they purported to withdraw the list. They are now frantically trying to prepare another list and send it,” he contented.
He further alleged that the state government attempted to fast-track the promotion of an ADGP to the DGP rank to allow the officer’s inclusion in a new proposal.
Chidambaram contended that the state’s manoeuvre directly violates the binding framework laid down in the landmark Prakash Singh v. Union of India case, as well as subsequent directives reiterated by the apex court in February 2026.
Taking note of the submissions, CJI Kant remarked that the UPSC was aware of which officers were eligible for consideration and expected it to follow the court’s directions. “We expect the UPSC to adhere to our judgment,” the Bar and Bench reported, quoting the CJI.
Also Read: Race For DGP Post Heats Up As Odisha Govt Promotes Sanjeeb Panda, Y K Jethwa
This comes a day after the Odisha government promoted senior IPS officers Sanjeeb Panda and YK Jethwa, both of 1994 batch, to the DG rank. The timing assumed significance since the promotion cleared the decks for Panda to be appointed as the next police chief of the state. Besides him, 1990 batch officer Sudhansu Sarangi along with RP Koche and Susanta Nath (both of 1993 batch) are reportedly in the race for the post.
Notably, the Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasised that states must follow the procedure laid down in Prakash Singh v. Union of India, under which the UPSC prepares a panel of three eligible senior officers on the basis of length of service, record and experience, after which the state government selects the DGP from among those empanelled. The court has also clarified that the directions do not permit states to dilute eligibility requirements merely because fewer officers of the requisite rank are available, and that the post is to be filled from officers already holding DGP-level positions.
