Punjab Assembly passes Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill

The Punjab Assembly today passed the Police (Amendment) Bill 2018, which would pave way for setting up of a State Security

Commission for selection of the director general of police.

The Punjab Police Act 2007, enacted on February 5, 2008, which this Bill amends, did not provide for selection of the DGP from the panel as prepared by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The development assumes significance as the present Director General of Police Suresh Arora is set to retire by end of the next month.

The Bill provides, "The state government shall select the director general of police from amongst the Indian Police Service (IPS) from a panel of at least three eligible officers borne on the cadre of Punjab or any state cadre, who are in the rank of director general or are eligible to hold this rank for appointment as the DGP, based on their service record and range of experience, having a reasonable period of remainder service left, which shall in no case be less than 12 months as on the date of appointment."

The State Security Commission shall comprise chief minister as the chairperson, the state home minister as the vice-chairperson and in case the CM holds the Home Department then he may nominate any other minister as a member.

 

Leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly, a retired high court judge, chief secretary, principal secretary to state government, department of home affairs and justice, state advocate general will be among the members of the Commission.

As per the Bill, the DGP so appointed, shall have tenure of not less than two years irrespective of his date of superannuation.

Notably, the state government led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had recently sought Advocate General Atul Nanda's opinion on the appointment of the DGP.

Earlier this month, the state government had decided to amend the Punjab Police Act, 2007, to enable the constitution of a state police commission for appointment of the DGP, while deciding to seek a review of the Supreme Court order of July 3, 2018, directing states to choose and appoint their DGP from a panel which will be constituted by the UPSC based on the concerned state government's proposals.