Centre Moves Supreme Court Against Jharkhand DGP Appointment, Cites Violation Of Selection Rules

The Centre on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of Jharkhand Director General of Police (DGP) Tadasha Mishra, alleging that the state government did not follow the procedure laid down by the apex court for selecting a state police chief. The Centre's application raises questions over the legality of the appointment and the regulatory framework under which it was made. The matter was mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, which agreed to hear and list the application for further consideration. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the Centre's application before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The Centre has approached the court seeking directions to the Jharkhand government to follow the procedure prescribed by the Supreme Court for appointments to the post of DGP.

The move represents a formal challenge to the process followed by the state in appointing Mishra as its police chief and places the state's 2025 regulatory framework under judicial scrutiny. The Centre has specifically challenged the Selection and Appointment of Director General and Inspector General of Police, Jharkhand (Head of the Police Force) Regulation, 2025, which was notified on January 8, 2025. According to the Centre's application, appointments made under this regulation are contrary to the procedure laid down by the Supreme Court. The Centre has therefore sought a declaration that appointments made under the 2025 regulation are illegal and has asked the court to direct Jharkhand to adhere to the judicially prescribed process for selecting its DGP.

The dispute concerns the manner in which states select and appoint their police chiefs. The Supreme Court has previously laid down procedures intended to bring greater consistency and transparency to the appointment of senior police officials. The Centre's challenge argues that the Jharkhand government is required to follow those directions and cannot rely on a state regulation that, according to the Union government, departs from the framework established by the court. The legal challenge could therefore require the Supreme Court to examine the relationship between the state's 2025 regulation and the court's directions governing DGP appointments. Mishra's appointment is at the centre of the immediate dispute. The Centre has not merely questioned an individual appointment but has also sought a ruling on the validity of the regulation under which such appointments can be made.

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Its plea asks the Supreme Court to declare appointments made under the Jharkhand regulation illegal and to require the state to follow the procedure prescribed by the court. The outcome could determine how Jharkhand handles the appointment of its police chief under the existing framework and whether changes to the state's regulatory mechanism are required. The Supreme Court's decision to hear and list the Centre's application means that the matter will now move into formal judicial consideration. The bench will have to examine the Centre's objections and determine whether the appointment of the DGP complied with the applicable procedure. Jharkhand will have an opportunity to respond to the Centre's allegations and present its position on the validity of the 2025 regulation and the appointment made under it.

The court's eventual decision will depend on its interpretation of the relevant legal and procedural requirements. The case is significant because the appointment of a state police chief involves both the administrative authority of the state government and the procedural requirements laid down by the Supreme Court. The Centre's challenge seeks to enforce what it considers to be the mandatory procedure while questioning the legality of Jharkhand's 2025 regulation. For now, the court has only agreed to hear and list the application, and no final determination has been made on the legality of Mishra's appointment or the state regulation. Further proceedings will establish how the Supreme Court addresses the Centre's objections and whether any directions are issued to the Jharkhand government regarding the appointment of its police chief.

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