Supreme Court to hear next week CPIL plea challenging appointment of Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police Commissioner

The Supreme Court will hear on November 24, the plea by NGO Centre for PIL challenging the the appointment of IPS officer Rakesh Asthana as Commissioner of Delhi Police..The matter which is currently before the top court as a writ petition came up for hearing before a Bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud when it was pointed out by Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta that the Delhi High Court had on October 12 dismissed a similar challenge. The petitioner-NGO before Supreme Court, was an intervenor in that matter before the High Court, Mehta said.He, therefore, submitted that present writ petition is not maintainable and a special leave petition (SLP) under Article 136 of the Constitution challenging the High Court verdict will have to filed.The Court agreed with the SG. Advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the petitioner, said that an SLP will be filed by Monday."The judgment of the Delhi High Court has been rendered on October 12. In this view, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has submitted since Bhushan had also intervened (before High Court), it would be necessary to challenge the High Court judgment under Article 136. Prashant Bhushan inform the SLP will be filed by Monday," the Court recorded in its order today.It then directed that the SLP should be listed next Wednesday."In this scenario we direct the SLP to be listed on next Wednesday. A copy of the petition be served upon the lawyer instructing SG Mehta," the Court directed..The Delhi High Court had on October 12 dismissed the challenge, stating that there was no violation of the Supreme Court's Prakash Singh judgment or any violation of service rules that merited the High Court's interference in the appointment of Asthana as DCP..Five reasons why Delhi High Court dismissed challenge to appointment of Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police Commissioner.CPIL had initially approached the Supreme Court challenging Asthana's appointment.Meanwhile, another petitioner one Sadre Alam had moved the High Court challenging the appointment. The Supreme Court had, therefore, kept CPIL petition pending and given liberty to the NGO to intervene before the High Court.The High Court had then dismissed Alam's plea after a detailed hearing. .[Read Order]