Punjab: Cabinet gives nod for appointment to various police complaints authorities

The state Cabinet on Thursday cleared the decks for the appointments to be made to the State Police Complaints Authority and Divisional Police Complaints Authorities under the Punjab Police Act, 2007.

The Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, approved the Punjab Police (Appointment of Chairperson and Members of Complaints Authorities), Rules, 2019.

"Section 54 provides that an officer of the rank either of Chief Secretary or Secretary to Government of India or Director General of Police (DIG) can be appointed as the chairperson of the State Police Complaints Authority," said the spokesperson in a statement.

"The other two members could be in the rank of Principal Secretary/ADGP or persons from academic, social work, law and public affairs field. One of the three persons has to be a woman," added the spokesperson.

"Under the rules, the Divisional Police Complaints Authorities are to be headed by Chairperson and two other members. Officers of the rank of the Secretary or DIG can be appointed as Chairperson, whereas the other members have to be drawn from officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police (SSP) or persons from academic/social work/law and public affairs field," said the spokesperson.

The State Police Complaints Authority provides for the constitution of a Selection Committee headed by Chief Secretary as its Chairperson, with Additional Chief Secretary Home and nominee of the Advocate General, Punjab, as Members, while the Secretary or Special Secretary Home shall be its Member Secretary.

The Selection Committee will invite applications, and after their scrutiny, prepare a list of candidates to be recommended for the offices of Chairperson and Members. Later, the list will be submitted to the government, which shall make the appointments.