The Haryana government has appointed 1992-batch IPS officer Ajay Singhal as the state’s Director General of Police (DGP), the administration announced on Wednesday. The decision followed a meeting of the Union Public Service Commission’s empanelment committee, which vetted five names submitted by the state and forwarded a panel of three.
Ajay Singhal Haryana DGP
Ajay Singhal, currently Director General of the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB), emerged from the UPSC panel as the chosen candidate. The panel had included Shatrujeet Singh Kapur (1990 batch) and Alok Mittal (1993 batch). Two other officers on the state’s original list, Sanjeev Kumar Jain and Dr AS Chawla, were not empanelled.
The selection follows revised 2023 guidelines under which the state submitted five senior officers who held the DGP post in the state cadre at Level-16 of the pay matrix and had at least six months of residual service. Kapur, who had previously completed two years as DGP, had proceeded on leave after being named in a case and had been temporarily replaced.
Under the 2006 Supreme Court ruling in the Prakash Singh case, a state government must select its DGP from among the three seniormost officers empanelled by the UPSC, taking into account length of service and record. The judgment also requires a minimum tenure of two years for a DGP, regardless of superannuation. Singhal will therefore serve a minimum term of two years from assumption of charge and is due to retire on 31 October 2028.
Singhal hails from Rewari district and holds a mechanical engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. His policing career has included postings in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Railway Police, the Commando Wing, Criminal Investigation Department and the Haryana Human Rights Commission. He received the Police Medal in 2008 and the President’s Police Medal in 2017.
In a brief statement, Singhal expressed gratitude to the state leadership for their trust and said he accepted the responsibility with humility. The appointment is likely intended to provide continuity in leadership at a time when the state seeks to reinforce law enforcement priorities and strengthen internal oversight.
Observers note that the empanelment process and adherence to the Prakash Singh framework aim to insulate the selection of the state’s highest police officer from short-term political considerations and promote stability. A guaranteed minimum term is designed to allow the DGP to plan and implement medium-term reforms, including those related to police modernisation, training and anti-corruption measures.
Singhal’s experience in vigilance and anti-corruption work will be closely watched, given the increasing attention on institutional integrity and public accountability. His engineering background and diverse postings across enforcement and human rights bodies suggest a blend of technical training and operational experience.
The state government’s swift follow-through with the UPSC panel concludes a brief period of interim arrangements that followed the previous incumbent’s leave and the retirement of another temporary in-charge. With Singhal now confirmed, Haryana will have a DGP with a defined tenure, enabling focused leadership of the police force through to 2028.
Key Takeaways:
- Ajay Singhal has been appointed Haryana Director General of Police following UPSC empanelment.
- Selection follows Prakash Singh judgment guaranteeing a minimum two-year tenure for DGPs.
- Ajay Singhal Haryana DGP brings experience from SV&ACB, CID, Railway Police and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
- Singhal is due to retire in October 2028 and holds degrees from IIT Delhi.
