MHA in legal fix over TN DGP extension
A legal battle is set to ensue between Tamil Nadu government and the Union Ministry of Home, as the former, citing selective portions of a Supreme Court judgement on police reforms, gave a two year extension to the state DGP K Ramanujam without consulting the nodal ministry.
Ramanujam was to superannuate as state police chief on November 30, but Chief Minister
Jayalalitha extended his stay as a two-year fixed tenure.
Ministry sources revealed that the Centre was informed of the order after the Tamil Nadu government had acted on its decision to extend the police chief’s tenure.
A similar proposal has also come to the ministry from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna, requesting that city police commissioner Neeraj Kumar too be given two year tenure. The LG had argued that Kumar, who lost out the CBI director race, being a competent officer will be an asset for the Delhi police.
The apex court in its judgement had said the state should ensure that the "DGP is appointed through a merit-based, transparent process and enjoys a minimum tenure of two years".
A ministry source said in-depth study of the state government’s order is needed before the ministry could give its official views on the subject.
Last month, the state appointed Ramanujam, a 1978 batch IPS officer, as the DGP and sought the ministry's stamp on its decision post-facto.
