Haryana DGP Appointment Hits Roadblock as UPSC Returns State Panel with Objections
The process of appointing a new Director General of Police in Haryana has run into a significant procedural hurdle after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) returned the panel of names sent by the state government, raising specific objections rooted in Supreme Court guidelines.
According to sources, the UPSC has pointed out that the Haryana government moved prematurely in forwarding the panel for the DGP post, as the position is not technically vacant. Shatrujeet Kapoor, a 1990-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, continues to hold the post of Director General of Police, even though he is currently on sanctioned leave.
Kapoor had proceeded on a two-month leave following the suicide of senior IPS officer Y Puran Kumar in order to avoid any administrative or political controversy. During his absence, the state government appointed OP Singh as the acting DGP. Kapoor’s leave is scheduled to end on December 14, 2025, after which he is expected to return and resume charge unless the government decides otherwise.
In its communication to the Haryana government, the UPSC referred to the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in the Prakash Singh case, which lays down clear procedures for the appointment of police chiefs. As per these directions, a proposal for appointment of a DGP can be initiated only in anticipation of a vacancy. The UPSC has underlined that Kapoor’s case does not qualify as an anticipated vacancy since he remains the incumbent and is free to rejoin duties at any time.
The commission has therefore advised the state government to reconsider its approach and clarify its stand. The government must now decide whether Kapoor will continue as Director General of Police after returning from leave or whether he should be transferred to another position, which alone would create a formal vacancy for initiating a fresh selection process.
The situation is further complicated by the service timelines of the senior officers involved. Acting DGP OP Singh is due to retire on December 31, 2025, leaving the state police leadership in a transitional phase. Kapoor, on the other hand, is scheduled to retire on October 31, 2026, giving him nearly a year of remaining service if he continues in the top post.
The UPSC’s intervention has put the spotlight back on procedural compliance and institutional checks in senior police appointments. For the Haryana government, the immediate challenge lies in resolving the leadership question without deviating from judicial and constitutional norms, especially at a time when stability in the police force remains a sensitive issue.
