🌑Knowledge Drop – 039: Row Over Selection of Head of Police Force in Tamil Nadu | For Prelims: InDepth MCQs| For Mains, All G.S Papers: High Quality Essays
🏛️ Knowledge Drop – 039
Row Over Selection of Head of Police Force in Tamil Nadu
Highlights Today — PETAL 039
27 November 2025
Thematic Focus: Polity & Governance, Centre–State Relations, Police Reforms
GS Mapping: GS-2 / Constitution, Governance, Internal Security
🔔 Intro Whisper
“When procedure falters, institutions speak.”
A constitutional office left vacant.
A UPSC panel rejected.
An in-charge appointment questioned.
And the Supreme Court steps in. Tamil Nadu’s delay in appointing a regular Director-General of Police has reopened a long-standing debate on police autonomy, political control, and rule of law. ⚖️
🔑 KEY DEVELOPMENTS
📌 What Triggered the Controversy?
- For the first time in recent years, Tamil Nadu failed to appoint a regular DGP in time to succeed the outgoing chief.
- The UPSC finalised a panel of three senior DGP-rank officers from the list sent by the State.
- The State government rejected the panel and continued with an in-charge DGP.
- A petitioner approached the court, alleging wilful contempt of Supreme Court directions.
- The Supreme Court has sought Tamil Nadu’s response within three weeks. ⏳
🏛️ SUPERINTENDENCE OVER STATE POLICE
🗺️ Constitutional Position
- Police is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule (List II).
- States exercise control and superintendence over police forces.
🏢 District-Level Control
- Dual system of control operates at the district level:
- District Magistrate (DM)
- Superintendent of Police (SP)
- In urban areas, this has been replaced by the Commissionerate system for faster decision-making in complex law-and-order situations. 🚨
👮♂️ HIERARCHY & RECRUITMENT
🧑💼 Recruitment Channels
- State Governments recruit:
- Constables
- Sub-Inspectors
- Deputy SPs
- Central Government recruits Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at the rank of Assistant SP.
- IPS is an All India Service created under the Constitution.
- Other posts are filled through promotions and departmental exams.
🪟 SINGLE-WINDOW SYSTEM FOR APPOINTING DGPs (2025)
📜 Why Introduced?
- Several States were not complying with Supreme Court directions in the Prakash Singh case (2006).
- To standardise and streamline appointments, the Union Government notified a Single-Window System, effective 22 April 2025.
⚙️ Key Features
- 📄 Standardised formats and detailed checklists for State proposals.
- 🧾 A Secretary-rank officer must certify eligibility and minimum tenure of officers.
- 🎯 Aims to ensure quick and smooth UPSC empanelment.
🧑⚖️ UPSC Empanelment Committee
- UPSC Chairperson (Head)
- Union Home Secretary
- Chief Secretary of the State
- State DGP
- One Head of a Central Police Organisation / Paramilitary Force
✅ ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS (SC + MHA)
- Officer must have at least 6 months residual service from the date of vacancy.
- State must send proposals to UPSC at least 3 months before the DGP post falls vacant.
- Selection must be from three senior-most empanelled officers. ⏱️
⚖️ PRAKASH SINGH JUDGMENT (2006): CORE DIRECTIVES
The Supreme Court laid down a blueprint for police reforms to insulate policing from political interference.
📌 Major Directions
- 🛡️ State Security Commission to ensure functional autonomy of police.
- 🗂️ Police Establishment Board for postings, transfers, and promotions.
- 🧑⚖️ Police Complaints Authorities at State and district levels.
- 🔒 Minimum two-year tenure for DGP and key officers.
- 📋 DGP appointment only from UPSC-empanelled senior officers.
- 🔍 Separation of investigation from law & order functions.
- 🛡️ National Security Commission for central armed police forces.
🧠 WHY THIS ISSUE MATTERS (PRELIMS ANGLE)
- Tests understanding of:
- Centre–State relations
- Role of UPSC in appointments
- Judicial oversight over executive discretion
- Frequently asked in polity MCQs regarding:
- Police reforms
- Prakash Singh case
- Tenure and autonomy of DGPs
🪶 Closing Note
The Second Administrative Reforms Commission underlined that police reforms are foundational to good governance and rule of law.
Yet, nearly two decades after Prakash Singh, compliance remains uneven.
The Tamil Nadu episode shows that institutional friction often surfaces when constitutional conventions are ignored.
Target IAS-26: Daily MCQs :
📌 Prelims Practice MCQs
Topic: Row Over Selection of Head of Police Force in Tamil Nadu SET-1
MCQ 1 TYPE 1 — How Many Statements Are Correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the appointment of State DGP/Head of Police Force in India:
1)Police is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
2)The Supreme Court mandated that the State DGP must be appointed only from a UPSC-empanelled panel of senior officers.
3)The Prakash Singh judgment provides for a minimum two-year tenure for the State DGP.
4)The Union Government can directly appoint a State DGP without State concurrence.
How many of the above statements are correct?
A) Only two
B) Only three
C) All four
D) Only one
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation.
🟩 Correct Answer: B) Only three
🧠 Explanation:
1)✅ True – Police falls under the State List.
2)✅ True – UPSC empanelment is mandatory.
3)✅ True – Minimum tenure of two years is mandated.
4)❌ False – Appointment is made by the State, not unilaterally by the Centre.
MCQ 2 TYPE 2 — Two-Statement Type
Consider the following statements:
1)The Commissionerate system replaces the dual control of District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police in urban areas.
2)Under the dual system of control, the District Magistrate exercises supervisory authority over police administration at the district level.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A) Only 1 is correct
B) Only 2 is correct
C) Both are correct
D) Neither is correct
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation.
🟩 Correct Answer: C) Both are correct
🧠 Explanation:
1)✅ True – Commissionerate system centralises authority in urban policing.
2)✅ True – DM supervises police functioning under the dual system.
MCQ 3 TYPE 3 — Code-Based Statement Selection
With reference to the Single-Window System for appointing State DGPs (2025), consider the following statements:
1)It was introduced to ensure uniform compliance with Supreme Court directives on police reforms.
2)It mandates certification of eligibility and minimum tenure by a Secretary-rank officer.
3)The UPSC empanelment committee is chaired by the Union Home Secretary.
Which of the above statements are correct?
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 1, 2 and 3
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation.
🟩 Correct Answer: A) 1 and 2 only
🧠 Explanation:
1)✅ True – Introduced to enforce Prakash Singh compliance.
2)✅ True – Secretary-rank certification is mandatory.
3)❌ False – The committee is chaired by the UPSC Chairperson.
MCQ 4 TYPE 4 — Direct Factual Question
Which of the following bodies was mandated by the Supreme Court to ensure police accountability by addressing complaints of serious misconduct?
A) State Security Commission
B) Police Establishment Board
C) Police Complaints Authority
D) National Security Commission
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation.
🟩 Correct Answer: C) Police Complaints Authority
🧠 Explanation:
Police Complaints Authorities at State and district levels inquire into allegations of serious misconduct and abuse of power.
MCQ 5 TYPE 5 — UPSC 2025 Linkage Reasoning Format (I, II, III)
Consider the following statements:
Statement I:
The Prakash Singh judgment sought to insulate police leadership from political interference.
Statement II:
The judgment prescribed fixed tenure and UPSC-based selection of State DGPs to strengthen institutional autonomy.
Which one of the following is correct?
A) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I
B) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I
C) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
D) Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation.
🟩 Correct Answer: A)
🧠 Explanation:
✅ The core objective of the Prakash Singh judgment was police autonomy.
✅ Fixed tenure and UPSC empanelment directly operationalise that objective.
