Chandigarh, March 14
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has questioned the Punjab Government on why it is continuing with an officiating head of the state police force for more than eight months now.
In a letter to the state government, the MHA also asked the government why it had not sent a panel of eligible officers to pave the way for regular posting of a Director General of Police (DGP) as the head of the state force.
As per the norms, the state can post an officiating DGP only for a maximum period of six months. The incumbent DGP, Gaurav Yadav, was posted officiating DGP on July 5 last year and he completed six months on the post on January 5. This is the second letter by the MHA to the state government on policing matters. Last week, it had questioned the storming of the Ajnala police station by pro-Khalistan activists. Official sources said the state government had not immediately responded to the letter. They said the government might have to send a panel of eligible officers soon as the norms for the DGP’s selection were laid down by the Supreme Court.
The government seemed to have delayed the procedure so far to enable Yadav’s selection for the post. He is not among the top three on the seniority list, though some officers ahead of him have either shifted to central security agencies or have faced questioned on merit.
