Punjab and Haryana High Court Asks Punjab to Expedite Appointment of Regular DGP

The Punjab and Haryana High Court asked Punjab to expedite appointment of a regular Director General of Police and file a compliance report by October 13.

Background and issue

The Punjab and Haryana High Court asked Punjab to expedite appointment of a regular Director General of Police and file a compliance report by October 13. Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor considered a petition alleging that the State has functioned without a regular police chief since 2022. The plea relies on Supreme Court directions requiring selection through the prescribed UPSC-based process from eligible senior officers. The High Court has not itself selected a DGP or substituted its judgment for the competent authorities. Its direction requires the State to advance the statutory and judicially mandated appointment process and report concrete compliance steps.

Legal significance

The legal effect is confined to the judgment, order or procedural development reported here. Allegations, party submissions and oral observations are not treated as established facts unless expressly decided.

What follows

The matter proceeds according to the operative directions, statutory process or further hearing identified above.

Source: Original report