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Punjab may not toe Centre’s line on DGP selection through UPSC

By IndianMandarins- 26 Feb 2026
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Chandigarh (26.02.2026): The Punjab government is unlikely to send a panel of DGP-rank officers for shortlisting them for the post of police chief of the state to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The list of eligible officers is ready but the state may not involve the UPSC as a policy decision. 
“The political decision as of today is that no panel will be send. That stays unless there is a sudden change or some legal complication arises,” said an official. A Supreme Court order earlier this month asked the state to follow the national procedure of sending a panel of eligible officers to the UPSC, which returns a shortlisted panel of three officers to the state government to choose one. However, the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab has not sent any panel to the UPSC since it formed the government in March 2022.
The AAP government had passed a legislation, Punjab Police Amendment Bill 2023, which empowered the state to appoint its own Director General of Police. The incumbent officiating DGP Gaurav Yadav (IPS: 1992: PB) is holding the post since June 2022 when DGP VK Bhawra was allegedly asked by the government to proceed on leave following law and order issues after the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala. The legislation is awaiting assent of the President.
Interestingly, even if the panel is sent, Gaurav Yadav would most likely be in the short-listed panel of three officers and the state government could appoint him as the head of the state force. However, sources said this would mean the AAP went back from its own legislation.

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