Chandigarh, Oct 9 (IANS) The Punjab government on Friday appointed 1992-batch IPS officer Gaurav Yadav as the regular Director General of Police (DGP) of Punjab, issuing an official notification and ending the prolonged arrangement of having an officiating police chief.  

Yadav, 57, who has been heading the Punjab Police as officiating DGP since July 2022, was selected from a panel of three senior IPS officers recommended by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The other two officers on the panel were Sharad Satya Chauhan and Harpreet Singh Sidhu.

The appointment concludes a lengthy selection process that had remained pending for several months after the UPSC forwarded its panel to the state government in July.

The issue had also come under judicial scrutiny. On October 1, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the state government to take an appropriate decision on appointing a regular DGP and sought a compliance affidavit from Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha by October 13.

Yadav was initially assigned additional charge of the state police chief in July 2022, when the then DGP, V.K. Bhawra, proceeded on leave. At the time, Yadav was serving as Special DGP (Administration) and was also associated with the office of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

During his tenure as officiating DGP, Yadav led the state police force amid continuing challenges involving drug trafficking, gangster networks and law and order.

Tackling organised crime, strengthening the anti-drug campaign and improving policing have remained key priorities for the state police.

“On consideration of the panel received from the Union Public Service Commission, the Governor of Punjab is pleased to appoint Shri Gaurav Yadav IPS as Director General of Police (Head of Police Force), Punjab,” reads the order signed by Alok Shekhar, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Home Affairs.

It says Yadav’s tenure will be for a minimum of two years from the date he assumes charge. It refers to the Supreme Court’s directions dated September 22, 2006, and July 3, 2018, in the Prakash Singh and Others vs Union of India and others case on police reforms.

His appointment as regular DGP formalises his position at the helm of the Punjab Police after more than four years in the officiating role. The development is also significant for the state’s police administration, which had faced questions over the prolonged continuation of an additional-charge arrangement.

--IANS