Punjab, Haryana DGPs to continue in office till Jan 31: SC

The Supreme Court Wednesday allowed the Director Generals of Police (DGPs) of Punjab and Haryana to continue in office till January 31.

The police chiefs -- Suresh Arora (Punjab) and B S Sandhu (Haryana) were due to retire on December 31.

The Punjab and Haryana governments moved the apex court recently, seeking modification of its earlier order directing states to mandatorily take the assistance of the UPSC in short listing the names for appointing DGP.

The states had said they have enacted separate laws for the selection and appointment of police chiefs.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it will hear their pleas seeking modification of the January 8 order and allowed the current DGPs to continue in office till January 31 next year.

The top court had on July 3 this year passed a slew of directions on police reforms in the country and chronicled the steps for appointment of regular DGPs.

It had said the states will have to send a list of senior police officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at least three months prior to the retirement of the incumbent.

The commission will then prepare a panel and inform the states, which in turn will immediately appoint one of the persons from that list, the apex court had said.