A day after the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab passed a legislation to independently appoint the State’s Director General of Police (DGP) without the Central government’s nod, former Uttar Pradesh DGP Prakash Singh — who was the petitioner in a landmark police reforms case — said that the legislation was in consonance with the Supreme Court’s 2006 judgement in that case.
“The [2006] SC order is very clear that the directions will hold good till such time the Centre or States enact legislation on the subject. In other words, once the legislation is enacted, these directions will not apply,” Mr. Singh told The Hindu.
On Tuesday, the Punjab Assembly passed a Bill to amend the Punjab Police Act 2007, in order to bring about an independent mechanism for the selection and appointment of suitable persons to the post of the DGP or Head of Police Force, “free from political or executive interference.”
