Uttar Pradesh: Yogi govt to appoint DGP independently; Cabinet approves new policy

Now Yogi govt will be able to choose the DGP of its choice

In a significant move that marks a shift in administrative control, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has decided to independently appoint the state’s Director General of Police (DGP), bypassing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) panel process. The decision, approved during a Cabinet meeting late on Monday, is seen as a major step in empowering the state government in making key policing appointments.

Under the new policy, the selection of the DGP will now be handled by a special committee set up by the Uttar Pradesh government. This committee, tasked with choosing the state’s top police officer, will be led by a retired High Court judge and will also include the Chief Secretary, a member nominated by the UPSC, the Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) or their nominee, the Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary (Home), and a retired DGP.

The move is part of a broader effort to provide the state with greater control over its police administration, as opposed to relying on the Union government’s procedures, which previously dictated the process.

Another important aspect of the new policy is the introduction of a fixed tenure for the DGP position. Under the new system, the DGP will now serve for a set period of two years. This change aligns Uttar Pradesh with Punjab, which was the first state to implement a similar model for appointing its DGP.

Until now, the process followed by the Uttar Pradesh government involved submitting names of eligible police officers—those with at least 30 years of service and six months remaining in their tenure—to the UPSC. The UPSC would then shortlist three candidates, from which the state government would make the final selection.

The change in the DGP appointment process follows a period of instability in Uttar Pradesh, where the state has not had a full-time DGP since May 2022. Mukul Goyal, the last full-time DGP, was removed from the position in May 2022, leaving the state with acting DGPs since then. Reports suggest that Prashant Kumar, currently serving as acting DGP, is likely to be appointed as the full-time DGP under the new selection process.

The new policy also outlines conditions under which a sitting DGP can be removed before the end of their term. If a DGP is found involved in criminal activities, or corruption, or is deemed to have failed in their duties, the state government will retain the authority to remove them. However, any such removal process will have to comply with the guidelines established by the High Court, ensuring that the process is legally sound.

With this development, Uttar Pradesh became the second state in India to implement an independent system for the appointment of the DGP, following Punjab, which introduced similar reforms earlier. The decision to make this change ahead of the upcoming bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh has sparked political interest, as it grants the state government greater autonomy in shaping its law enforcement leadership.

As the process of appointing a new DGP is set to move forward under the new framework, it remains to be seen how this shift in power dynamics will impact law enforcement and governance in Uttar Pradesh, particularly with the state gearing up for key political challenges.

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