Punjab CS, DGP may be in trouble as Randhawa raises ‘Addressing Political Rally’ issue with Delhi’s power corridor
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ February 17,2025
Congress MP from Gurdaspur Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has raised question on the participation of Punjab chief secretary KAP Sinha and DGP, Gaurav Yadav attending a rally at Moga and has taken up the matter with the cabinet secretary.
Randhawa has written a letter to Cabinet Secretary and has placed on record a matter of serious institutional concern relating to an event held today at Moga, Punjab, which was projected as part of the State’s campaign against drugs.
In a first, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav and state’s chief secretary KAP Sinha also addressed the AAP government’s massive “anti-drug gathering” held at Killi Chahlan village in Moga, Monday.
“While the stated theme of the programme pertained to the State’s anti- drug efforts, the character of the gathering, by all visible indications, was that of a political rally organised by the Aam Aadmi Party. The repeated display of party flags and insignia, partisan sloganeering by the audience, and the presence of Arvind Kejriwal, National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, as the Chief Guest, lent the function a distinctly political complexion. Senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Manish Sisodia, were also present on the dais” said Randhawa
Gurdaspur Lok Sabha MP added “Further, it was widely noted that Kejriwal’s concluding remarks expressly cast the event in political terms—ending with an appeal/hope directed towards the party’s political objectives. Quite apart from the content of any individual speech, such framing at the culmination of the programme is a strong indicator that, in protocol and substance, the event functioned as a partisan political platform rather than a neutral governmental programme.”
Randhawam pointed out that “The Chief Minister of Punjab was also present in what appeared to be a political capacity. In this backdrop, the presence—and reported participation—of the serving Chief Secretary of Punjab and the Director General of Police on the said platform raises grave legal and constitutional questions.Members of the All India Services are governed by the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968. Rule 5 explicitly prohibits participation in political activities and public association with political parties. The doctrine of political neutrality of the permanent civil service is foundational to our constitutional architecture and to the credibility of the State’s administrative machinery.”
Randhawa requested Cabinet Secretary to look into the issue as when officers of such senior rank are seen on a stage that unmistakably bears the features of a partisan political platform, it creates a perception of alignment that is incompatible with the standards expected of the All India Services. In the case of the Director General of Police, this concern is further accentuated by the Supreme Court’s emphasis in Prakash Singh v. Union of India (2006) on insulating the police from political influence.
Such developments, if left unexamined, risk:
- Eroding public confidence in the impartiality of the civil service and the police;
- Blurring the constitutionally necessary distinction between the State and the ruling political party; and
- Undermining the principle of administrative neutrality that safeguards democratic governance.
Given that cadre control and disciplinary oversight of All India Services officers fall within the purview of the Department of Personnel & Training, I respectfully request that:
- A factual report be called for from the Government of Punjab regarding the precise nature of the event and the role played therein by the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police; and
- The matter be examined to determine whether their participation was consistent with the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, and whether any action is warranted under the applicable disciplinary framework.
“My intention in raising this issue is to preserve institutional propriety and constitutional norms, which must remain above partisan considerations. The strength of our democratic system rests upon a clear separation between political platforms and the permanent civil service. That line must remain inviolate. I shall be grateful for your considered attention to this matter” added Randhawa
