Bhubaneswar, Aug. 18 -- The Supreme Court is set to hear on Tuesday a crucial petition challenging the process adopted by the Odisha government for the appointment of the state's new Director General of Police (DGP).

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleges that the state government's DGP selection process is not in conformity with the guidelines laid down by the Apex Court, particularly the directions issued in the landmark Prakash Singh case on police reforms.

The Supreme Court had, at its previous hearing on August 13, directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to defer the process of finalising the panel for Odisha's next DGP, effectively putting the appointment process on hold.

The three-judge bench, headed by Chief J...