HC seeks Haryana, UPSC replies on DGP’s appointment

New Delhi, April 11 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Haryana government to file their replies on a plea challenging the appointment of Manoj Kumar Yadava as the state's Director General of Police (DGP).

Justice Suresh Kait also asked Yadava to file his reply on the plea and posted the next hearing on July 11.

The court was hearing a plea filed by IPS officer Prabhat Ranjan Deo through his counsel Aishwarya Sinha.

The advocate said that despite being the senior-most and fully eligible, Deo was overlooked and superseded and not even considered by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in the process of empanelment for the post of DGP.

Even his client's representation to the UPSC Chairman was neither considered nor replied to, the counsel added.

In his plea, Deo said that the UPSC decision was contradictory as it completely overlooked his eligibility and superseded his seniority.

He said that the February 18 order regarding Yadava's appointment was in complete contravention of the settled principles of law and contrary to the guidelines issued by the Central government regarding appointment of the DGP in the police hierarchy.

Deo said that he was the qualified Indian Police Service (IPS) officer with a distinguished service record, having won the Police Medal for meritorious service in 2006 and President's Police Medal for distinguished service in 2013, among others.

Yadava, a 1988 batch IPS officer, was appointed the Haryana DGP on February 18.