The Punjab government on Friday appointed 1992-batch IPS officer Gaurav Yadav as the regular Director General of Police (DGP). Yadav had been serving as the officiating DGP since July 2022.His tenure shall be for a minimum period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the office, as per an order issued by y Home Secretary Alok Shekhar.The appointment comes more than three months after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), in a letter dated July 1, shortlisted three IPS officers from a panel of 14 communicated by the state government as suitable for appointment to the post of DGP.The three officers empanelled by the UPSC included Yadav, Special DGP Sharad Satya Chauhan and senior IPS officer Harpreet Singh Sidhu, all from the 1992-batch. Yadav is the junior-most of the three.While Chauhan, the senior-most, hold the charge of Chief Director, Vigilance Bureau; Sidhu, who returned to state last year after serving on central deputation as Additional DGP of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), has been awaiting a posting. Sidhu retires on May 31, 2027, Chauhan on March 31, 2028, and Yadav on April 30, 2029.After assuming the charge, Yadav called on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and briefed him on the internal security and law and order in the state. He said the state police “is committed to maintaining peace, harmony and public safety, and to help build a safe, secure and drug-free Punjab”.He said that gangsters and anti-social elements have no place in the state. “Wherever they hide, whether anywhere in India or abroad, Punjab Police will arrest them and bring them to justice. Operations against gangsters and their networks will be intensified,” he said, adding “anti-national elements will not be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs”.Story continues below this adRecently, CM Mann chaired a high-level review meeting and directed further intensification of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (war against drugs) campaign, Yadav said, adding, “together, all departments of the Punjab government, Punjab Police and the people will take this campaign to its logical conclusion”.The Punjab and Haryana High Court on October 1 had directed the Punjab government to appoint a regular DGP in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions and asked the Chief Secretary to file a compliance affidavit by the next date of hearing on October 13. The court had observed that an ad hoc arrangement for the top police post “ought not be allowed for an indefinite period” and noted that the appointment was important for maintenance of law and order.The court order had come on a PIL filed by advocate Nikhil Thamman, who questioned the continuation of Yadav as DGP on additional charge since July 2022.Earlier, in February, the Supreme Court had directed Punjab and other states to follow the prescribed procedure for appointment of regular DGPs. In March, the court warned Punjab and other states that they could face action under the Contempt of Courts Act for withholding the UPSC recommendations for appointment of DGPs.Story continues below this adThe Supreme Court’s intervention had come amid concern over states continuing with acting or officiating DGPs instead of making regular appointments. The court had also empowered the UPSC to remind states to send proposals in time and, in cases of persistent delay, move the Supreme Court for enforcement.Punjab subsequently sent a list of 14 eligible IPS officers to the UPSC in April.