CHENNAI: PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss on Thursday urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately appoint a permanent DGP to ensure administrative stability within the state police force.
In a statement here, he said for several months Tamil Nadu has been operating under interim police leadership because a permanent Director General of Police (DGP) has not been appointed.
In line with the Supreme Court’s guidelines on police reforms and the statutory procedures governing appointments to the police leadership, the state government should promptly select a suitable officer from the UPSC-recommended list and appoint that person as the permanent DGP of Tamil Nadu, he urged.
Claiming that, given the multiple law-and-order challenges currently facing the state, appointing a full-time permanent police chief is essential, the PMK leader said.
"Strong, stable police leadership is needed to effectively discharge critical responsibilities such as protection of women and children, addressing rising crime, maintaining communal harmony, ensuring the public’s sense of security, and strengthening the rule of law," he added.
Urging the Tamil Nadu government to choose the best and most capable officer from the UPSC’s three-member list and make the permanent DGP appointment within a day or two, Ramadoss said "I also call on all political parties, especially the opposition, to cooperate in this appointment process in a nonpartisan manner so that police administration can function free from political interference and in accordance with the law".
"To safeguard the people of Tamil Nadu, uphold the rule of law, and ensure administrative stability within the police, the state government should proceed without delay to appoint the new DGP," he added.