Why Rakesh Asthana: Centre's 288-Page Justification Of Delhi Top Cop Pick

Seeking the dismissal of the pleas challenging the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as the police chief, the centre said all pertinent rules were followed.

From arguing that assignment rules are separate for states and union territories to suggesting there were no candidates in the capital's conventional police cadre suitable for the role, the central government has explained why it picked Rakesh Asthana, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Gujarat cadre, to be Delhi Police Commissioner, in a 288-page document.

Responding to a legal challenge that had deemed the controversial, politically-connected officer's appointment illegal and an affront to laid-down conventions, the centre told the Delhi High Court on Thursday that the decision was taken keeping in mind "the diverse law and order challenges faced by the national capital, which have national security implications as well as international and cross-border implications".

"Delhi being the capital of the country has been witnessing diverse and extremely challenging situations of public order/law and order situation/policing issues which not only had national security implications but also international/cross border implications," it said in an affidavit.

"As such, a compelling need was felt by the Centre to appoint a person as a head of the police force of Delhi, who had diverse and vast experience of heading a large police force in a large State having diverse political as well as public order problem/experience of working and supervising Central Investigating Agency(s) as well as para-military forces," it said.