The Ministry of Home Affairs has sought an explanation from the Government of Haryana as to why it posted 19 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on ex-cadre posts “in excess of the quota for the same.” The MHA reprimanded this deed of the state government, calling it an over-utilisation of the ex-cadre posts while keeping cadre posts as sanctioned by the centre vacant. Calling it a grave violation of the cadre norms, the MHA observed that the Haryana government had been functioning with 38 IPS officers on ex-cadre posts while the sanctioned strength for these posts remains only 19. Thus, the ministry pointed out that the state government had been over-utilising 19 posts over its quota while keeping 24 cadre posts vacant.
Cadre posts are civil services posts approved and notified by the Centre for States every five years. Ex-cadre posts are temporary posts of the same rank as cadre posts created by the state governments. The Centre has also asked the state to provide the details regarding postings of all cadre officers on the ex-cadre/temporary posts while seeking scientific and effective planning of cadre structure with a perspective of five years.
Referring to the latest official data, a senior IPS officer has informed the MHA that currently, 64 IPS officers are working on ex-cadre posts in the state, as against the sanctioned strength of 19 officers. As many as 45 IPS officers are working in “excess” of the quota. The number of cadre posts for Haryana is 79.
Presently, the state has six director general of police (DGP)-rank officers (two on cadre and four on ex-cadre posts); 19 additional director general of police (ADGP)-rank officers (six on cadre, 13 on ex-cadre posts); 27 inspector general of police (IGP)-rank officers (16 on cadre, 11 on ex-cadre posts); and 22 deputy inspector general of police (DIG)-rank officers (15 on cadre, seven on ex-cadre posts). The Haryana government, in its clarification, has stated that the state can create particular posts for a specific period, and no rule was violated in the promotions of IPS officers in the state.