Amit Shah confers President's Colour on Chandigarh Police at Diamond Jubilee
Synopsis
Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred the President's Colour on Chandigarh Police at a Diamond Jubilee ceremony on 1 November 2026, marking 60 years of the UT force's service, discipline, and public duty since its founding under the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966.
Key Takeaways
Chandigarh Police completed 60 years of service on 1 November 2026 , marking its Diamond Jubilee.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred the President's Colour — India's highest ceremonial police honour — on the force at a live ceremony in Chandigarh.
Chandigarh Police was established following the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 , which made Chandigarh a Union Territory.
The President's Colour is awarded by the President of India to forces demonstrating sustained excellence in service and discipline.
As a Union Territory force, Chandigarh Police falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs , making Shah's conferment role structurally significant.
Sixty years of service, discipline, and public duty earned Chandigarh Police the nation's highest ceremonial police honour on Sunday, 1 November 2026 — as Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred the President's Colour on the force at a live event in Chandigarh, marking its Diamond Jubilee.
Sharing a live broadcast link from the ceremony, Shah wrote: 'चंडीगढ़ पुलिस निष्ठा, अनुशासन और जनसेवा के 60 वर्ष पूर्ण कर रही है।' — 'Chandigarh Police is completing 60 years of loyalty, discipline, and public service. On the occasion of their Diamond Jubilee today, the President's Colour is being conferred on Chandigarh Police.'
What the President's Colour means for a police force
The President's Colour — Rashtrapati Nishan — is the most prestigious ceremonial honour the Government of India can bestow on a uniformed organisation. It is awarded by the President of India to police forces and paramilitary units that have demonstrated sustained excellence in service, discipline, and public duty over a significant period. Receiving the Colour authorises the force to carry a ceremonial standard — a visible, permanent emblem of institutional distinction.
The honour falls directly under the mandate of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and its conferment at a Diamond Jubilee is a deliberate statement: six decades of consistent performance, recognised at the highest constitutional level.
Chandigarh Police's 60-year journey from the Punjab Reorganisation Act
Chandigarh Police was formally raised following the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966, which carved out Chandigarh as a Union Territory and the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. As a UT force, it operates under the direct administrative oversight of the Ministry of Home Affairs — making Shah's presence at today's ceremony both symbolic and structurally appropriate.
The force has since grown into the law enforcement backbone of one of India's best-planned urban centres, responsible for policing a city that hosts the high courts of two states and the UT administration simultaneously.
A broader pattern of honouring India's police institutions
The central government has periodically conferred the President's Colour on state and UT police forces as they reach major service milestones — a practice designed to boost institutional morale and reinforce professional standards across Indian policing. Today's ceremony continues that tradition, and sets a benchmark: other forces approaching comparable anniversaries are likely to receive similar recognition in the years ahead.
For the men and women of Chandigarh Police, the moment is more than ceremonial. It is a formal acknowledgement, at the Diamond Jubilee, that six decades of service left a mark worth honouring.
Point of View
Presiding over a UT force's Diamond Jubilee is also a demonstration of the Centre's active stewardship of Union Territory administrations — a consistent theme of the current government. The timing at the 60-year mark signals that such recognition is milestone-driven and replicable, potentially setting a precedent for other UT and state forces approaching comparable anniversaries. It is recognition that doubles as policy messaging: discipline and public service, the government underlines, will be formally seen and rewarded.
NationPress
1 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the President's Colour awarded to police?
The President's Colour is the highest ceremonial honour conferred by the President of India on police forces and paramilitary units that have demonstrated sustained excellence in service, discipline, and public duty. It allows the force to carry an official ceremonial standard as a permanent mark of distinction.
When was Chandigarh Police established?
Chandigarh Police was formally raised in 1966 following the Punjab Reorganisation Act, which constituted Chandigarh as a Union Territory and the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
Why did Amit Shah attend the Chandigarh Police Diamond Jubilee?
As Union Home Minister, Amit Shah oversees Union Territory administrations including Chandigarh, which falls directly under the Ministry of Home Affairs. He presided over and conferred the President's Colour at the Diamond Jubilee ceremony on 1 November 2026.
Which police forces have received the President's Colour in India?
The central government has periodically conferred the President's Colour on various state and UT police forces as well as central armed police forces upon completion of significant service milestones. Chandigarh Police received it on its 60th anniversary in 2026.
What is Chandigarh's administrative status in India?
Chandigarh is a Union Territory administered directly by the central government through the Ministry of Home Affairs. It also serves as the joint capital of the states of Punjab and Haryana.
