<p>Congress on Wednesday sought to find fault with the Centre appointing senior IPS officer Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police Commissioner, saying it was "blatant disregard" towards the Supreme Court and the laws of the land.</p>.<p>Asthana was appointed the Commissioner of Delhi Police on Tuesday, four days ahead of his retirement, with an extension of services by one year.</p>.<p>Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the Ministry of Home Affairs issued the notification naming him as the Police Commissioner effectively granting him a one-year extension from the date of his superannuation "as a special case in the public interest".</p>.<p>"Not just is it an issue of inter-cadre appointment, the issue expands to another instance of blatant disregard towards the Supreme Court of India and the laws of the land," Khera told reporters.</p>.<p>Khera said that the Supreme Court had stated that the recommendation for appointment to the post of Director General of Police by the Union Public Service Commission and preparation of panel should be purely based on merit from officers who have a minimum residual tenure of six months i.e. officers who have at least six months of service prior to the retirement.</p>.<p>"With just four days left before the retirement of Rakesh Asthana, this notification by the Modi government issued under the seal of approval by (Home Minister) Amit Shah is downright illegal and in direct contravention of the judgment of the Honourable Supreme Court of India," Khera said.</p>.<p>Reminding that Chief Justice N V Ramana had expressed reservations to the candidature of Y C Modi and Rakesh Asthana for the post of CBI chief, Khera said, "as both the officers had less than six months for retirement, based on the observations of the CJI, their names were dropped despite being the two senior-most IPS Officers in the fray to become the Director, CBI."</p>.<p>"Despite being apprised of this, yet again, this government deemed it fit to arbitrarily proceed with the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as the Delhi Police Commissioner," he said.</p>
<p>Congress on Wednesday sought to find fault with the Centre appointing senior IPS officer Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police Commissioner, saying it was "blatant disregard" towards the Supreme Court and the laws of the land.</p>.<p>Asthana was appointed the Commissioner of Delhi Police on Tuesday, four days ahead of his retirement, with an extension of services by one year.</p>.<p>Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the Ministry of Home Affairs issued the notification naming him as the Police Commissioner effectively granting him a one-year extension from the date of his superannuation "as a special case in the public interest".</p>.<p>"Not just is it an issue of inter-cadre appointment, the issue expands to another instance of blatant disregard towards the Supreme Court of India and the laws of the land," Khera told reporters.</p>.<p>Khera said that the Supreme Court had stated that the recommendation for appointment to the post of Director General of Police by the Union Public Service Commission and preparation of panel should be purely based on merit from officers who have a minimum residual tenure of six months i.e. officers who have at least six months of service prior to the retirement.</p>.<p>"With just four days left before the retirement of Rakesh Asthana, this notification by the Modi government issued under the seal of approval by (Home Minister) Amit Shah is downright illegal and in direct contravention of the judgment of the Honourable Supreme Court of India," Khera said.</p>.<p>Reminding that Chief Justice N V Ramana had expressed reservations to the candidature of Y C Modi and Rakesh Asthana for the post of CBI chief, Khera said, "as both the officers had less than six months for retirement, based on the observations of the CJI, their names were dropped despite being the two senior-most IPS Officers in the fray to become the Director, CBI."</p>.<p>"Despite being apprised of this, yet again, this government deemed it fit to arbitrarily proceed with the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as the Delhi Police Commissioner," he said.</p>
