Mr. Y Puran Kumar (2001-batch IPS officer), presently posted in the Inspector General of Police (IGP) rank in Haryana, has 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!
According to another IPS Kumar, the finance department on September 3rd had agreed to the home department’s proposal for the creation of two temporary posts of DGP for the promotion of 1992-batch IPS officers. It however, said that the same will be subject to the condition that the home department will ensure that there will be no violation of the model of conduct. With similar conditions, Kumar mentioned, the finance department on the same day also agreed to create four temporary posts of ADGP for the promotion of 1998-batch IPS officers.
Officer Kumar has stated that the two IPS officers from the 1998 batch are currently looking after key assignments in the police department which has jurisdiction over the 17 contentious Assembly seats. IPS Kumar also said that one of these two officers is due to retire on October 31 this year. The proposed promotion, he said, should be seen as an alleged “enticement” for the officer due to the “huge financial benefit” that would accrue to him in terms of retirement benefits and the subsequent pension he would draw as ADGP instead of IGP.
The Haryana government has convened a meeting of the screening committee to consider the suitability of these six IPS officers for promotion. Four of the IPS officers are proposed to be promoted from IGP to ADGP rank and two from ADGP to DGP rank. This screening will also discuss a proposal of the home department to accord selection grades to five IPS officers of the 2011 batch.
On August 21st, the ECI ordered the Haryana government to postpone the results of ongoing recruitment processes of police constables and teachers by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) till the election is over. The ECI had said it was needed to ensure a level playing field.
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 shall 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.
