E-Paper
Haryana DGP BS Sandhu retires on January 31, gets extension in the evening, retires again at night
As per the extension order, which was later revoked, the ad-hoc arrangement was to be in place till a new state police chief was appointed or for a month, whichever is earlier.
Strange are the ways of Haryana government. On Thursday it first granted extension to director general of police (DGP) BS Sandhu, only to retire him again late in the night. Sandhu’s tenure as DGP had ended on Thursday with his retirement.
As per the extension order, which was later revoked, the ad-hoc arrangement was to be in place till a new state police chief was appointed or for a month, whichever is earlier.
The decision was questionable as the state government does not have the powers to grant service extension to IPS officers. Sandhu, who was scheduled to retire in September 2018, was earlier granted a three-month extension in service by central government’s Appointments Committee of the Cabinet in relaxation of rules. The Supreme Court had in December 2018 asked the Haryana government to continue the existing arrangement till January 31, 2019 after the state government moved an application before the apex court, seeking modification of its directions with regards to appointment of the DGP. Since the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) could not finalise the panel of three IPS officers shortlisted for the post of the DGP, the state government granted extension to Sandhu after seeking legal advice from the advocate general.
The apex court had on January 16 dismissed a bunch of interlocutory applications filed by Haryana, Punjab and three other states seeking exemption for their respective Police Acts from the operation of SC’s July 3, 2018 order and permission to appoint DGPs in accordance with their respective police laws. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that after an in-depth consideration, they are left with no doubt that the July 3 directions are wholesome and if the same are implemented, it will subserve public interest till the matter is heard finally. The SC had on July 3, 2018 directed that the DGP shall be selected by the state government from amon three seniormost officers who have been empanelled for promotion by the UPSC.
