Chandigarh: In a significant development, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has approved a proposal recommending 14 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for consideration in the empanelment committee to shortlist three candidates for the post of regular Director General of Police (DGP) in the state.
From the panel of three officers, Punjab will have the discretion to appoint one as the regular DGP, who will serve a minimum tenure of two years, irrespective of superannuation, as per the Supreme Court’s 2006 Prakash Singh judgment and subsequent UPSC guidelines.
A government functionary told that the proposal is expected to be sent to the UPSC early next week.
Supreme Court Intervention Prompts Action
The move follows directions from the Supreme Court on February 5, where it criticised several states, including Punjab, for having acting DGPs. The UPSC initially asked Punjab to send the proposal within 10 days. After the state failed to do so, a reminder was issued, prompting the current submission.
Read Also: Punjab DGP Appointment: State to Send IPS Panel to UPSC After Four Years, Top Contenders in Focus
Current Scenario of DGP-Rank Officers in Punjab
Punjab currently has 16 DGP-rank officers. Two officers from the 1993 batch, Special DGP (Law & Order) Arpit Shukla and Special DGP (HRD & Welfare) Ishwar Singh, are scheduled to retire on April 30 and May 31, respectively. According to UPSC rules, any officer considered for appointment as state DGP must have at least six months of residual service from the date of the vacancy. For Punjab, UPSC has fixed February 5, the Supreme Court direction date, as the occurrence of vacancy.
Another officer, Parag Jain of the 1989 batch, currently chief of RAW, is eligible but has declined the post. The Ministry of Home Affairs also did not approve his repatriation to Punjab.
List of Eligible Officers for the Post of Regular DGP
Punjab has proposed the following 14 officers for consideration –
1992-batch IPS officers
- Acting DGP Gaurav Yadav
- Special DGP (Punjab Police Housing Corporation) Sharad Satya Chauhan
- Special DGP (Anti Narcotics Task Force) Kuldeep Singh
- Harpeeet Singh Sidhu (awaiting posting)
1993-batch IPS officers
- Special DGP (Community Affairs & Women Affairs) Gurpreet Kaur Deo
- Special DGP (Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd) Dr Jitendra Kumar Jain
- Special DGP (Railway) Shashi Prabha Dwivedi
1994-batch IPS officers
- Special DGP (Headquarters) Sudhanshi Shekhar Srivastava
- Special DGP-cum-Chief Director, Vigilance Bureau, Praveen Kumar Sinha
- Special DGP (Traffic & Road Safety) Aamardeep Singh Rai
- Special DGP (Cyber Crime) Voruvuru Neeraja
- Special DGP-cum-Director, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Police Academy, Anita Punj
- Special DGP (Human Rights) Dr Naresh Kumar
- Special DGP (Tech Services) Ram Singh
Notably, Gaurav Yadav, who was appointed acting DGP in July 2022, superseding several senior officers, continues to head the Punjab Police.
UPSC Empanelment Committee Composition
As Yadav is a contender, UPSC has allowed Punjab to include the state home secretary along with the chief secretaryin his place on the empanelment committee.
Per UPSC guidelines, the empanelment committee comprises:
- UPSC Chairman or a member acting as chairman
- Union Home Secretary or nominee not below Special Secretary rank
- Head of central police organization nominated by MHA (not from the state cadre)
- Chief Secretary and DGP of the concerned state
Punjab’s Delay and Legal Hurdles
Punjab has been operating with an acting DGP since July 2022. The state attempted to circumvent UPSC procedures through the Punjab Police Amendment Bill (2023), proposing a state-controlled seven-member committee to select the DGP. However, the Supreme Court rejected the argument on March 12, stating the bill could not override the court-mandated UPSC procedure.
What’s Next
The UPSC will review the proposal and shortlist three candidates for Punjab’s regular DGP. Once the shortlist is approved, the state government will have the authority to appoint one officer, ensuring a minimum two-year tenure.
