Bhubaneswar, Sept 17: The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred further hearing in the case concerning the appointment of Odisha’s Director General of Police (DGP), posting the matter for September 22. The case relates to a challenge to the procedure adopted by the Odisha government for preparing and forwarding the list of eligible IPS officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for empanelment.
During the proceedings, amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran raised several issues concerning the eligibility and empanelment lists prepared for the selection of the state police chief. One of the issues concerned the exclusion of senior IPS officer Sushant Kumar Nath from the eligibility list and questions surrounding the withholding or consideration of his integrity certificate.
The amicus also questioned the inclusion of two officers who were promoted to the DGP rank after the original eligibility list had been forwarded to the UPSC. According to submissions reported before the court, the Odisha government had initially sent an eligibility list to the UPSC on May 14, 2026, while a subsequent list reflected changes following promotions made in August.
The matter has its background in the Supreme Court’s directions in the 2006 Prakash Singh judgment, which prescribed a procedure involving a UPSC panel of senior eligible officers for selection as state police chiefs. The directions were intended to establish a structured process for appointment of DGPs.
The petitioners have raised concerns over whether the changes made to the eligibility list and subsequent promotions were consistent with the prescribed framework. The amicus has also sought greater clarity on the circumstances surrounding the changes to the list.
The Supreme Court will take up the matter again on September 22, when the issues surrounding the empanelment and eligibility process are expected to be considered further.
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