E-Paper
Punjab government yet to start process for new advocate general’s appointment
APS Deol’s resignation as advocate general still to be cleared by governor who arrived in Chandigarh from the national capital on Friday
The Punjab government is still to start the process for the appointment of new advocate general (AG) even as four days have passed since the incumbent’s resignation was accepted by the state cabinet.
Senior officials in the chief minister’s office (CMO) said the file on APS Deol’s resignation as AG was still to be cleared by governor Banwarilal Purohit who arrived in Chandigarh from the national capital on Friday afternoon.
While accepting Deol’s resignation on November 9, chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi had said in a press conference that the new AG will be appointed the next day.
“It got delayed as the governor was away. He is probably going to clear the resignation by today evening. The process for the appointment of new AG will start only after,” an official privy with the development said.
The CM is likely to appoint the new AG after discussing the matter with the Cabinet to avoid any embarrassment further. “Even as choosing AG is the CM’s prerogative but he is likely to take every member of his council into confidence in the wake of the controversy that had erupted over Deol’s appointment,” he added.
No date has been fixed for the next cabinet meeting yet.
Deol had to resign following a standoff between Channi and Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu for over a month over the appointment.
Sidhu pressurised Channi to replace Deol as he had represented former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini in cases of police firing at the time of Bargari sacrilege.
No communication from UPSC on DGP’s appointment
The state home department has not received any information about the meeting to be convened by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) over the appointment of the new DGP.
A panel of nine officials was sent by the Punjab government to the UPSC on September 30 but there has been no communication over holding the meeting to shortlist three officers for the top post. The Punjab chief secretary will also be part of the meeting as per the protocol.
