Punjab has appointed 1992-batch IPS officer Gaurav Yadav as the state’s regular Director General of Police (DGP), ending the arrangement under which, he had been serving as the state’s police chief on an additional-charge basis since July 2022.
The Punjab Government issued the appointment order on October 9, 2026, following the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) selection process. According to the order issued by the Department of Home Affairs, Yadav will serve as Director General of Police (Head of Police Force), Punjab, with a minimum tenure of two years from the date he assumes charge.
The appointment order was issued by Alok Shekhar, Additional Chief Secretary to the Punjab Government, Department of Home Affairs.
According to the government order, the UPSC, through its letter dated July 1, 2026, had empanelled three IPS officers from the panel submitted by the Punjab Government as suitable for appointment to the post of DGP (Head of Police Force).
The three officers were Gaurav Yadav, Dr Sharad Satya Chauhan and Harpreet Singh Sidhu. All three belong to the 1992 batch of the Indian Police Service and after considering the UPSC panel, the Governor of Punjab approved Yadav’s appointment as the state’s regular police chief.
The order specifies that his minimum two-year tenure will begin from the date he formally assumes charge of the office. It cites the Supreme Court’s directions in the Prakash Singh case, including its judgments dated September 22, 2006, and July 3, 2018.
Yadav was given the additional charge of Punjab DGP on July 4, 2022, when the then regular police chief, V.K. Bhawra, went on leave. Bhawra was subsequently transferred as Chairman of the Punjab Police Housing Corporation in September 2022, and Yadav continued as the state’s police chief.
The arrangement continued for more than four years before the state issued the order appointing him to the regular post.
The appointment process also came under judicial scrutiny. On October 1, 2026, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the state government to appoint a regular DGP. The court also sought a compliance affidavit from the Chief Secretary, with October 13 set as the deadline.
The legal challenge raised concerns over the prolonged absence of a regular police chief and the need to follow the prescribed procedure for the appointment.
Gaurav Yadav is a 1992-batch IPS officer who has held several senior positions in Punjab Police and the state administration. Before taking charge as DGP in 2022, he served as Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
He has also served in intelligence-related assignments and has experience in policing and security matters in Punjab.
Yadav was empanelled for appointment at the Director General level at the Centre in February 2025, according to the information provided about his career.
With the October 9 order, Yadav has formally been appointed regular DGP of Punjab. His minimum two-year tenure will be calculated from the date he assumes charge of the office, as specified in the government notification.