Chandigarh : The Election Commission Thursday appointed IPS officer Suresh Arora as the new state police chief of Punjab.
The incumbent Director General of Police (DGP), Sumedh Singh Saini, has proceeded on leave, starting Friday (April 4).
A 1982 batch Indian Police Service officer, Arora is presently chief director, vigilance.
The Punjab government had earlier Thursday sent a panel of three senior police officers to the EC for appointment as the state police chief.
Punjab’s additional chief electoral officer (CEO) Supreet Singh Gulati told media here that the panel consisted of Indian Police Service officer G.D. Pandey (1981 batch), Sanjeev Gupta and Arora (both 1982 batch).
The poll panel had, earlier this week, ordered the transfer of three deputy commissioners, the police commissioner of Punjab’s largest city Ludhiana and the district police chiefs of Ferozepur, Moga, Fazilka and Mansa districts.
The opposition Congress had last month urged the poll panel to remove Saini, who is facing various court cases, from his post.
Punjab has 13 Lok Sabha seats which go to polls April 30.