Centre notifies Single Window System for appointing State DGPs 

The Union Government has notified a Single Window System for appointing State Director-General of Police/Head of Police Force. The new policy effective April 22, 2025, comes against the backdrop of several States not following the Supreme Court orders in the Prakash Singh case and the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines as regards appointment of DGP/HoPF.

The Single Window System comprises a detailed check-list and standard easy-to-use formats for the States to send proposals enabling a smooth and expeditious process of empanelment by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), police sources said.

Pointing to major discrepancies in the proposals sent for DGP appointments in the past, the Centre fixed responsibility on the State by asking an officer not below the rank of a Secretary to Government to certify minimum tenure of DGP-rank officers sent for empanelment to the UPSC.

The apex court guidelines and consequent MHA circulars made it clear that an officer considered for appointment as DGP/HoPF should have a minimum residual services of six months from the date of occurrence of vacancy. Also, the States should send proposals to the UPSC at least three months before the vacancy arose or the date of superannuation of the DGP/HoPF.

TN yet to send proposal

In Tamil Nadu, though the vacancy for DGP/HoPF arises on August 30, 2025, when the incumbent police chief Shankar Jiwal is set to retire, the State is yet to send the proposal. Though two officers were not eligible for the top post as per the Supreme Court and MHA guidelines as they would not have a minimum of six months service, the Home Department was still getting their consent in the willingness form, the sources said.

“The Single Window System was notified in the last week of April with detailed check list and annexures making it easy for States to follow. Even if the two officers who are not eligible is cleared by the DGP’s office, the Home Department would remove their names from the list as a Secretary-rank officer would have to certify the eligibility criteria. Finally, 8 DGPs in the Level-16 pay matrix would qualify for empanelment and the UPSC would send back three names – Seema Agrawal, Rajiv Kumar and Sandeep Rai Rathore – in the order of seniority,” a senior police officer told The Hindu on Tuesday.

Communicating the Single Window System, the MHA in a circular to States said proposals having major discrepancies would be returned immediately. “It is requested that suitable instructions may kindly be issued to the concerned department in the State Government responsible for sending proposals for empanelment of officers for appointment to the post of DGP/HoPF of the State to ensure submission of all proposals in future as per the guidelines prescribed for the Single Window System”.

It is pertinent to note the Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions which alleged that the norms prescribed by the apex court in 2006 in the matter of appointing State DGPs were being flouted or not being followed in letter and spirit. A senior advocate moved the top court saying the due process was not followed in the appointment of Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta.