Suspense over Odisha’s next police chief as Supreme Court halts UPSC selection meeting till August 18

Suspense surrounds the process of choosing Odisha's next police chief as the Supreme Court has put a hold on the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) meeting planned for August 18. This decision follows a Public Interest Litigation challenging the selection process, alleging it violated a landmark court ruling. The UPSC was originally set to meet on Thursday to select three candidates from which the state government would choose the new DGP, or Director General of Police.

Odisha's government has begun the appointment process, allowing current police chief YB Khurania, a 1990-batch officer, to retire on August 16. The state government had initially submitted a panel to the UPSC in April, but later withdrew it in May. In May, a larger panel of three DG-rank officers and eight additional DG-rank officers was sent.

Prior to the August 7 UPSC meeting, the government withdrew the list, stating they would present a fresh one. In recent promotions, two ADG-rank officers, Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Jethwa, now at DGP rank, have been named as frontrunners for the role, with others like Sudhanshu Sarangi and RP Koche also in contention. A PIL filed before the Supreme Court claims the government is circumventing rules in the appointment process.

The court, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, has asked the UPSC to delay its decision. The Odisha government is now seeking legal advice before making a final decision, with Khurania's retirement deadline looming on August 16.