Chandigarh: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has forwarded a three-member panel of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to the Punjab government to finalize the appointment of a regular Director General of Police (DGP) for the state. According to sources privy to the development, the shortlisted panel consists entirely of 1992-batch IPS officers: Sharad Satya Chauhan, Harpreet Singh Sidhu, and the incumbent officiating police chief, Gaurav Yadav.
The submission of the panel marks a key step toward concluding nearly four years of temporary administrative arrangements, during which the state police force has been headed by an acting chief. The move follows structural guidelines from the Supreme Court, which has firmly disapproved of the “acting DGP” culture across multiple states and directed strict adherence to the stable appointment process handled by the central empanelment committee.
Highly placed sources indicate that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is highly likely to proceed with the selection of Gaurav Yadav as the regular DGP. Yadav, who has been heading the state police force in an officiating capacity since June 2022, is considered the frontrunner due to his extensive administrative experience in managing the state’s security apparatus over the past few years. Once the state government formalizes its choice from the provided shortlist, the newly appointed regular DGP will receive a mandated minimum tenure of two years to ensure continuity and stability in leadership.
