The Supreme Court is set to hear today an application seeking vacation of its interim order in the ongoing dispute over the appointment of Odisha’s next Director General of Police (DGP).
The matter, listed as Item No. 32 before the Chief Justice’s Court, will be heard at 10:30 AM by a three‑judge Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana.
The application arises in the long‑running Prakash Singh police reforms case (W.P. (C) No. 310/1996), which laid down guidelines for transparent and merit‑based appointments of State DGPs.
At the last hearing on August 18, the Court recorded counter affidavits filed by both the Odisha Government and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Court had directed that interim directions continue until today’s listing.
With Odisha and UPSC responses now on record, today’s proceedings could determine whether those interim directions remain, are altered, or vacated altogether — a decision that will directly shape the next steps in Odisha’s DGP appointment process.
Former IPS officer Yashovardhan Jha Azad has also sought intervention in the case, raising concerns about compliance with the Court’s police‑reform directives. However, no judicial finding has yet been recorded on his allegations.
The outcome of today’s hearing will be closely watched, as it could mark a turning point in Odisha’s high‑stakes DGP appointment controversy.
