States empowered for DGP appointment; Punjab 3rd state

Date: 21^st June 2023

Punjab becomes 3rd state to empower itself for DGP appointment^[1]

Former DGP Prakash Singh, who worked for the police reforms and had filed PIL in SC; leading to the landmark judgement

SC had trigger bunch of police reforms with this judgement
One was laying procedure where Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was to shortlist 3 candidates for state DGP
It was laid down by the Supreme Court in July 2018

Prakash Singh served as DGP of UP Police and Assam Police, besides other postings^[2]
He said “...the state government could enact its own law ..”^[1]

3 candidate shortlist to be recommended by a seven-member committee
The process is similar to the procedure laid down by SC
The chairman from retired Chief Justices/Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court
One nominee each of the UPSC & Union home ministry to be included
Other 4 members:
-- Chief Secretary of the state
-- Chairman or nominee of the Punjab Public Service Commission
-- Administrative Secretary, Department of Home Affairs
-- And a retired DGP.

The bill say that public order and police appear in the state list and are thus matters falling in the exclusive domain of states

Andhra Pradesh government on December 26, 2017 issued an ordinance before enacting it as a law
Andhra Pradesh assembly passed the bill to amend the AP Police (Reforms) Act, 2014 in April 2018

On March 21, 2018, the Telangana assembly amended the Telangana Police (Selection and Appointment of DGP (Head of Police Force) Act

Sources: