Supreme Court Approves External DGP Appointment for Manipur

The Supreme Court has authorized Manipur to select its next Director General of Police from outside the state cadre. The decision comes as the current DGP, Rajiv Singh, approaches retirement. The court acknowledged the unique challenges in Manipur, prompting the allowance for an external candidate.

The Supreme Court has granted permission for the Manipur government to recruit the state's next Director General of Police (DGP) from outside its standard cadre. This decision was reached as the current DGP, Rajiv Singh, is set to retire on May 31. Singh is an IPS officer from the Tripura cadre and the state faces pressing security and administrative challenges.

A bench including Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi found substance in the application made by Manipur, citing the unique conditions affecting the state. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta acknowledged the difficulty in identifying a suitable candidate within the existing pool, underscoring the need for an external appointment. The court also heard from Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, emphasizing the urgent necessity of appointing a new DGP amidst Manipur's reported instability.