---
title: "Odisha Appoints Interim Police Chief Amidst Supreme Court Legal Challenge"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/odisha-police-chief-stalemate-interim-appointment-v0ole
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Politics
published: 2026-08-14T19:23:07.768Z
modified: 2026-08-14T22:00:05.609Z
language: en-IN
---

# Odisha Appoints Interim Police Chief Amidst Supreme Court Legal Challenge

Vinaytosh Mishra will serve as interim Director General of Police for Odisha starting August 16 due to a legal dispute over the selection process. The Supreme Court is hearing a petition challenging the state's appointment procedure.

## Key takeaways

- Vinaytosh Mishra, a senior IPS officer, will serve as the interim Director General of Police for Odisha.
- The appointment is a temporary measure due to a legal challenge concerning the selection process for the permanent DGP.
- The Supreme Court is hearing a Public Interest Litigation that questions the state's adherence to established procedures for appointing top police officials.
- The Union Public Service Commission has postponed its meeting to finalize candidates for the DGP post until the Supreme Court reviews the petition.

The Odisha government has appointed senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Vinaytosh Mishra to hold additional charge as the Director General of Police (DGP) and head of the police force. This interim arrangement begins on August 16, following the retirement of the incumbent DGP, YB Khurania, on Sunday.

The appointment occurs amid a legal stalemate in the Supreme Court, where a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenges the state government's selection process for a new DGP. The PIL contends that the state's procedure violates a significant court ruling regarding DGP appointments.

## What Happened

Vinaytosh Mishra, a 1993-batch IPS officer currently serving as DG, CID and Crime Branch, will lead the state's police until a permanent DGP is appointed. Mishra, originally from Bihar, has less than three months remaining in his service, retiring in November.

## Background

The Public Interest Litigation filed in the Supreme Court alleges that the Odisha government failed to adhere to the process established by a landmark Supreme Court judgment in the Prakash Singh vs Union of India case for appointing Directors General of Police. Senior advocate P Chidambaram, representing the petitioner, informed the court that an officer was promoted and subsequently included in the panel sent to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The UPSC meeting to select three candidates for Odisha's next DGP, initially scheduled for Thursday evening, has been postponed. The commission assured the apex court that the meeting to finalize the panel will not convene before August 18, when the court is set to review the petition.

According to government sources, officials such as Panda, who heads anti-Naxal operations and the special intelligence wing, are considered potential candidates for the full-time DGP position. Other officers in contention include 1990-batch officer Sudhanshu Sarangi and 1993-batch officer R P Koche.

## Key Facts

- Senior IPS officer Vinaytosh Mishra has been assigned additional charge as Odisha DGP.
- The appointment is effective from August 16, following the retirement of YB Khurania.
- A Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court challenges the state's DGP selection process.
- The UPSC deferred its meeting to finalize DGP candidates until after August 18.
- Vinaytosh Mishra has less than three months of service left.

---
Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/odisha-police-chief-stalemate-interim-appointment-v0ole
Reported from: Multiple Sources