SC to hear Centre’s plea against Jharkhand DGP appointments

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant agreed on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) to urgently hear a Union government plea that the State of Jharkhand is appointing Directors General of Police (DGPs) in defiance of a series of judicial orders passed by the Supreme Court since the past 20 years.

The Union government, through the Home Ministry, has also sought a judicial declaration that the ‘Selection and Appointment of Director General and Inspector General of Police, Jharkhand (Head of Police), Regulation of 2025’ be declared ultra vires the apex court’s Prakash Singh versus Union of India judgment of 2006. The 2006 judgment had laid down guidelines and directed a transparent appointment process for appointment of DGP from among senior most empanelled police officers of the State, and a minimum tenure of two years in a bid to rid the police of political influence.

The Centre pointed to the appointments of Anurag Gupta and Tadasha Mishra as the Jharkhand DGPs on the basis of “this ultra vires Regulations,” allegedly in violation of the Prakash Singh judgment.

“Both the Regulation framed by the State of Jharkhand and the appointments made thereunder are legally infirm, as they are not in conformity with the existing rules and contrary to the specific directions issued by the Supreme Court,” the application said.

The application has sought a direction to the State of Jharkhand to company with the Prakash Singh judgment, and further declare the appointments of DGPs pursuant to the 2025 Regulation as illegal.