Chandigarh, October 9: The Punjab government on Friday appointed 1992-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Gaurav Yadav as the state’s regular Director General of Police (DGP), ending the prolonged uncertainty over the appointment to the top police post.
According to an order issued by the Department of Home Affairs on Friday morning, Yadav will have a minimum tenure of two years. He had been serving as the acting DGP of Punjab Police since May 2022.
The appointment comes days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court questioned the state government over the delay in appointing a regular police chief, despite the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) forwarding a panel of three eligible officers in July.
While hearing a public interest litigation seeking the appointment of a regular DGP, a bench comprising Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Rohit Kapoor observed that the post was crucial for maintaining law and order and that an interim arrangement should not continue indefinitely.
The court directed the state government to take an appropriate decision and asked the Chief Secretary to file an affidavit before the next hearing, scheduled for October 13.
The UPSC panel included Gaurav Yadav, Chief Director of the Vigilance Bureau Sharad Satya Chauhan, and Special DGP Harpreet Singh. All three officers belong to the 1992 IPS batch, with Chauhan being the senior-most among them. Harpreet Singh had returned from central deputation and remained without a regular posting for approximately a year.
During the proceedings, the state government informed the court that the panel was under active consideration. However, the petitioner’s counsel, Nikhil Thamman, pointed out that the UPSC had recommended the officers in July.
The court questioned why the government had not finalised the appointment despite receiving the panel several months earlier.
The selection process is governed by the Supreme Court’s directions in the Prakash Singh case on police reforms. These guidelines provide for the appointment of a regular DGP from a UPSC-recommended panel and stipulate a minimum two-year tenure.
During his tenure as acting DGP, Yadav has overseen several major policing initiatives, including the state government’s anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, and successive operations targeting organised criminal networks under Operation Prahaar.
His appointment is expected to bring clarity to the leadership of Punjab Police following months of uncertainty over the state’s top policing position.
