DGP post: UPSC asked to consider September 30 as cut-off date

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3

Punjab has asked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to consider September 30 as cut-off date for eligibility of officers for the post of DGP.

This cut-off date makes DGP (Vigilance) Sidharth Chattopadhyaya and DGP (Human Rights) Rohit Choudhary eligible, relegating officiating DGP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota to the fourth position.

Another complexity is a court judgment over the post. Chattopadhyaya has lost his case against the appointment of Dinkar Gupta. It remains to be seen if the UPSC will consider him. Usually, the UPSC choses top three officers as per seniority. From these, the state picks one.

Punjab’s response follows several clarifications by the UPSC seeking a cut-off date to set eligibility of officers. As per the procedure laid down by the Supreme Court, officers with minimum six months of tenure left are eligible for empanelment.

The post is at the centre of a tug-of-war between Congress leaders. PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is reportedly pushing for Chattopadhyaya’s candidature, while CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Home Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa favoured Sahota for the top post.

At stake also is the issue of transparency and legality of the selection process for the DGP. The UPSC is reportedly in a fix over adopting a procedure that avoids the DGPs’ selection as a precedent for other states. It is feared the selection process may be circumvented.

Sources said the UPSC had to set the cut-off date first and then decide on the merit and seniority for choosing the final three candidates.

In Punjab, there was a regime change within the majority party — Congress — in power. After Channi took over as the CM from Capt Amarinder Singh, DGP Dinkar Gupta went on leave on September 25 and Sahota was appointed officiating DGP. Sidhu opposed the appointment. The state Home Department sent a panel of 10 officers to the UPSC on September 30 evening, ostensibly to keep Chattopadhyaya in the race and keep Sidhu in humour. However, the government gave a new posting to outgoing DGP Gupta on October 4. This became a matter of much debate as to which of these dates the post of DGP fell vacant for the state to recommend a panel of eligible officers.