The state Haryana government has started a process to examine the “legal aspects” of promotions of several IPS officers. This was initiated after questions were raised over the promotion of six IPS officers of the 1994 batch in 2018.
According to a media report, the promotion of IPS officers from the 1994, 1996, 2001, 2003 and 2004 batches done in the past several years are being legally examined. As per rules, the pay and promotion of the IPS officers come under the jurisdiction of the state governments.
However, being the cadre controlling authority of IPS officers, the Union Home Ministry (MHA) had issued promotion guidelines for IPS officers of all state cadres. The guidelines were issued “to establish a uniform procedure for promotion of IPS officers in different grades throughout the country”. According to MHA the state governments are bound to implement the orders/guidelines.
In 2018, the state government promoted six IGP level officers to the rank of ADGP. “As per the promotion guidelines, IPS officers of 1994 batch were not eligible for the promotion to the grade of ADGP in 2018” adding “they were eligible for the promotion to the grade of ADGP with effect from January 1, 2019”, the ministry has pointed out.
Earlier, the Union Home Ministry had asked the state government to “clarify the circumstances under which 1994 batch IPS officers have been promoted to the grade of ADGP”. Now, besides the promotions of 1994 batch IPS officers, the recent promotion of four IPS officers of the 1996 batch is also being examined. These officers were promoted from IGP rank to ADGP rank this year. Allegedly, the promotions were done despite the “non-availability of vacancies”.
