Tamil Nadu Faces Contempt Plea Over DGP Appointment Delays

The Supreme Court has demanded an explanation from the Tamil Nadu government regarding a contempt plea over its failure to appoint a permanent Director General of Police (DGP). The plea, filed by Kishore Krishnaswamy, accuses the state of violating court orders by continuing with an acting DGP instead of selecting from a UPSC-suggested panel.

Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government, instructing it to respond within three weeks. The petitioner’s advocate, Prashant Bhushan, highlighted that the state was previously ordered on September 8 to appoint a regular DGP promptly, a directive yet to be followed as of November 7.

The plea alleges political motives behind maintaining the acting DGP, suggesting the state’s inaction favors the ruling party as the Southern state gears up for its 2026 Assembly elections. This situation contradicts the principles established in the landmark Prakash Singh ruling to shield police appointments from political intervention.