Punjab Government Begins Process for Permanent DGP
After nearly four years of functioning under an acting police chief, the Punjab government has initiated the process to appoint a regular Director General of Police (DGP). The state administration has sent a panel of 14 senior IPS officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for consideration.
The move is expected to end the long-running system of having an “acting” DGP in the state. Once the process is completed, Punjab will have a full-time police chief appointed according to the rules laid down by the Supreme Court.
Acting DGP Gaurav Yadav Among Key Contenders
The list submitted to UPSC includes several senior officers from different IPS batches. Among them, the name of the current acting DGP, Gaurav Yadav, has been prominently included.
Other officers mentioned in the panel belong mainly to the 1992, 1993 and 1994 IPS batches. These include officers such as Sharad Satya Chauhan, Kuldeep Singh, Harpreet Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Kaur Deo, Jatinder Kumar Jain and Shashi Prabha Dwivedi.
Some officers, however, are not part of the race. For example, senior officer Samant Goel reportedly expressed unwillingness to be considered for the post, while a few others are close to retirement and therefore not eligible for selection.
Supreme Court’s Direction Accelerated the Process
The decision to send the panel to UPSC came after the Supreme Court raised strong objections to states continuing with acting DGPs for extended periods.
The court observed that keeping officers in acting positions for years deprives eligible senior officers of their rightful opportunity to serve in the top post. As a result, the court directed states to follow the established procedure for appointing a regular DGP through UPSC.
Following the court’s instructions, UPSC also issued reminders to the Punjab government asking it to submit the list of eligible officers. Eventually, the state government complied and forwarded the panel for evaluation.
How the Final DGP Will Be Selected
According to the established process, UPSC will review the panel submitted by the state government. A committee headed by the UPSC chairman will evaluate the names on the basis of seniority, experience and service record.
The committee will then shortlist three officers from the panel. These three names will be sent back to the Punjab government, which will choose one of them to serve as the state’s Director General of Police.
The selected officer will be appointed for a minimum fixed tenure, ensuring stability and continuity in the leadership of the Punjab Police.
Importance of the Appointment
The appointment of a permanent DGP is considered crucial for maintaining law and order in Punjab and ensuring effective policing across the state.
The Punjab Police is responsible for maintaining internal security, preventing crime, and combating issues such as drug trafficking and organized crime. The force operates under the leadership of the DGP, who serves as the highest-ranking police officer in the state.
With the selection process now underway, the state government is expected to appoint a regular police chief soon, bringing an end to years of interim arrangements.
