bjp-calls-jharkhand-dgp-appointment-unconstitutional

The BJP has strongly criticised the appointment of Anurag Gupta as Jharkhand’s Director General of Police (DGP), calling it unconstitutional.

This statement came a day after the party demanded a CBI investigation into Gupta.

Gupta was removed from the DGP position by the Election Commission before the 2024 state elections. However, after the JMM-led government won the elections in November 2024, it reappointed him as the acting DGP. Later, he was made the permanent DGP.

The BJP argues that the appointment process was illegal because it did not follow the rules set by the Supreme Court. Normally, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) selects candidates for the DGP post. But in this case, the state government appointed Gupta without UPSC’s approval.

BJP demands a CBI probe

State BJP president and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi accused the JMM government of misusing the police for political purposes. He pointed out that the Supreme Court had ordered that a DGP must be chosen from a list recommended by the UPSC. Since Gupta's name was not on that list, his appointment violated the rules.

The BJP also claimed that Gupta was involved in election-related misconduct in the past.

JMM defends decision

The ruling JMM dismissed the BJP’s allegations, saying the decision to appoint Gupta was made collectively in a cabinet meeting. The party also pointed out that similar appointments have been made in other states like West Bengal, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh.

 

The Congress, an ally of the JMM, was also unhappy with Gupta’s appointment. The party claimed it was not consulted before the decision was made. Former Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said, “We don’t know why Anurag Gupta was appointed. This decision should have been discussed with alliance partners.”

Before the 2024 elections, the Election Commission removed Gupta due to allegations of misconduct in previous elections. It replaced him with Ajay Kumar Singh, a senior IPS officer from the 1989 batch. Singh had taken over as DGP in October 2023. However, in July 2024, Gupta was reinstated as acting DGP and later made permanent.

This issue has caused a major political dispute in the state, with the BJP continuing to demand a CBI investigation into Gupta’s appointment.