The Punjab and Haryana High Court has fixed October 1 for hearing a Public Interest Litigation seeking appointment of a regular Director-General of Police (Head of Police Force) in Punjab in accordance with the Supreme Court’s binding directions.The PIL filed against the State of Punjab and other respondents by advocate Nikhil Thamman said Punjab did not have a regular DGP (Head of Police Force) for more than the four years now. The highest post in the State police force was, as such, continuing under an additional-charge arrangement.Thamman submitted such a prolonged arrangement gave rise to serious institutional concerns as an officer holding the post merely on additional charge might always remain in a potentially compromising position, lacking the institutional security and assured tenure contemplated for a regularly appointed DGP. According to the petitioner, stable and independent leadership at the highest level of the police force was essential for maintaining the Rule of Law and public confidence in policing.The petitioner also relied upon the Supreme Court judgment in the case of “Prakash Singh and others versus the Union of India and others” and the subsequent order dated March 13, 2019. It was submitted that Supreme Court had prescribed a procedure for selection of the State DGP through UPSC empanelment and had categorically held that there was no concept of an “acting” DGP.The PIL further stated that the UPSC panel had reportedly been received by the State government and that a detailed legal notice dated August 24 was served upon the authorities concerned seeking appointment of a regular DGP.The matter was heard today by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor.