The government of Haryana has recently decided to postpone its screening committee meetings to consider the suitability of 1992 and 1998 batch IPS officers for promotion to the director general and additional director general of police, respectively.
The development took place after Mr. Y Puran Kumar (2001-batch IPS officer), presently posted in the Inspector General of Police (IGP) rank in Haryana, approached the Election Commission of India against the concurrence provided by the state finance department for creating temporary posts in the rank of DGP and ADGP for promotion of six IPS officers at a time when the model code of conduct is in operation given the October 5th Assembly polls. In his complaint to the ECI, IPS Kumar alleged that the finance department’s sudden move was aimed at giving “undue benefits” to a selected few IPS officers, which could potentially influence 17 Assembly constituencies!
As per the rules mentioned in the model code of conduct, promotions during the enforcement of the code of conduct can be done only by statutory bodies. Two officers of the 1998 batch who were to be considered for promotion were posted in districts. The Saini government also deferred the screening committee meeting for the promotion of 2011 batch IPS officers on administrative grounds. Two officers of the 1992 batch, four of the 1998 batch and five of the 2011 batch were in the zone of consideration for promotions.
The model code instructions issued by the ECI do not bar the continuing regular recruitment process or promotion through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the state Public Service Commission, the Staff Selection Commission or any other statutory authority. It, however, adds that “recruitments through non-statutory bodies will require prior clearance of the commission.”
In a previous directive, the EC had said that an officer retiring within six months and holding an election-related post should be relieved of that charge and not be associated with any election-related duty. It is in the light of this directive of EC that IPS Kumar has urged the government to transfer the IPS officer, whose retirement is due on October 31st, to any non-election posts immediately.
The ECI has noted that the state government will have sufficient time to fill up these posts for compliance with the high court order, after the election process is over with the declaration of results on October 8th.
