The Punjab government has forwarded a panel of 14 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the selection of a full-time Director General of Police (DGP). This decision comes nearly four years after the last state police chief was appointed through this process and follows a directive from the Supreme Court of India, which criticized the ongoing practice of appointing acting DGPs. Among the panel members is Gaurav Yadav, the current officiating DGP, along with other notable officers from various batches. The Supreme Court's ruling aims to ensure timely appointments and uphold the stability of police leadership, a concern highlighted in the 2006 Prakash Singh judgment. The last DGP appointed through UPSC was VK Bhawra in January 2022. The Punjab government had previously attempted to create a seven-member committee to appoint a DGP but faced setbacks when the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, returned the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023 without assent.