Notice to Centre over Rakesh Asthana’s appointment as Delhi Police Commissioner

New Delhi, September 1

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Centre and Gujarat cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana on a petition challenging his appointment as Delhi Police Commissioner.

Issuing the notices on a petition filed by Sadre Alam, a Bench led by Chief Justice DN Patel listed the matter for further hearing on September 8.

On behalf of Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), which has challenged Asthana’s appointment as the Delhi Police Commissioner before the Supreme Court – advocate Prashant Bhushan alleged that Alam’s petition was mala fide and a complete copy-paste of the NGO’s petition before the top court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the petition and sought time for the Centre to respond to it.

The SC had, on August 25, asked the Delhi HC to decide in two weeks CPIL’s petition challenging Asthana’s appointment as Delhi Police Commissioner. — TNS