Appointment of Punjab DGP: Supreme Court to hear petition on December 12

CHANDIGARH: The Supreme Court will now hear on December 12 the ‘urgent plea’ filed by Punjab government seeking permission to appoint the next director general of police (DGP).

Earlier listed for December 7, the plea could not be heard on Friday due to some personal issues with the bench, said a senior Punjab government official privy to the development.

All eyes are now set on the next hearing. If the matter gets postponed, the issue may linger on further as the courts will close for vacations from December 16 and reopen on January 1.

In the plea, Punjab has raised reservations over the earlier decision of the court to appoint the DGP through Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) not by the state government.

The apex court order binds the states to send names of senior police officials to the UPSC three months prior to the post of DGP gets vacant. As per the order, the UPSC will then send a threemember panel to the state and pick the candidate for the post.

The government is of the view that the directions amounted to infringement by the Centre of the state’s powers, since law and order was a state subject.

After the SC order, the Punjab government amended the Punjab Police Act, authorising a committee led by chief secretary to form a panel of three officials eligible for the post of DGP. The amendments authorise the state government to select one from the panel.

Behind listing it as an “urgent plea”, Punjab has reasoned that the three-month extension to DGP Suresh Arora is going to end on December 31.