Process underway to select officer to head Karnataka police force, government tells HC

The State Government on August 28 told the High Court of Karnataka that the process of appointing a regular Director General and Inspector General of Police (head of State police force) is underway. A decision would be taken shortly as the State Chief Secretary had attended a meeting convened by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on August 26 for empanelling eligible officers for the post.

Recording the statement made in this regard by the Advocate-General, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Joshi disposed of a PIL petition, which had sought a direction to the government and the UPSC to make a regular appointment to the post at the earliest by following the guidelines issued by the apex court.

The petitioner, Sudha Katwa, a city-based advocate, had questioned the May 21, 2025 notification issued by the State Government appointing senior police officer M.A. Saleem as in-charge DG&IGP. The petitioner had sought a direction to the State Government and the UPSC to expedite the process of empanelment of police officers to the post for appointing a regular officer as the head of the State police.