Police as a State subject

In one line: Under the Seventh Schedule, public order and police are in the State List, so States make laws on their police forces.

What the Constitution says

The Seventh Schedule divides law-making power into the Union, State and Concurrent Lists. Public order (Entry 1) and police (Entry 2) are in the State List. States therefore recruit, control and discipline their police, while the Union manages central armed police forces and the Indian Police Service, whose officers serve in the States.

Where the tension lies

DGPs are IPS officers, an All India Service, and the UPSC is a Union body. The Prakash Singh framework gives the UPSC the role of empanelling candidates, which limits the State's choice. States argue this curbs an elected government's control over law and order; the Court says it protects the police from partisan use.

Where to go next

• Prakash Singh judgment (2006)
• The 2018 and 2019 DGP clarifications