Centre defends appointment of Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police chief
Rakesh Asthana's appointment as Delhi Police chief in July 2021, even Arvind Kejriwal headed Delhi government has opposed to his appointment. He was appointed as Delhi chief three days before his retirement.
New Delhi: In the objection filed before the Supreme Court, the Centre has strongly defended its decision of appointing Gujarat cadre IPS officer, Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police Commissioner.
The Centre has filed the objection to the petition challenging the appointment of Mr. Asthana as Delhi police chief. Centre has stated that his appointment as Delhi police chief was made for the compelling need to have someone like him in the post and his term was extended in the public interest.
Rakesh Asthana's appointment as Delhi Police chief in July 2021, even Arvind Kejriwal headed Delhi government has opposed to his appointment. He was appointed as Delhi chief three days before his retirement.
His appointment was challenged by the NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL). The petition cites a breach of Supreme Court directions requiring that an officer must have six months of service left for such an assignment.
The former CBI officer was granted a year's extension after his appointment. He was also given a deputation from the Gujarat cadre to the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territory) cadre from which Delhi Police chiefs are usually picked.
The Centre has further stated that there is no merits in the writ petition and needs to be dismissed.
