Jammu Tawi, April 09: A recent order issued by the Jammu Kashmir Home Department regarding the transfer and posting of police officers in the rank of Dy Superintendents has sparked controversy.
The order transferring and postings several police officers, including 31 Deputy Superintendents of Police, has sparked outrage. The order, dated April 7, was issued by the Home Department rather than the Director General of Police in J&K. (DGP).
Reacting sharply, former J&K DGP, K Rajendra demanded revocation of the transfer order. “The order must be revoked.” The postings are decided by the DG. When it comes to law and order and dealing with terrorism, it is his neck that is on the chopping block. He must call the shots. “The government should look into this right away,” said K Rajendra.
Another former J&K DGP SP Vaid took to Twitter to call the Home Department order an “attempt to weaken the authority of J&K Police.” He requested that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha should intervene in the matter. Since its inception, the police chief has had the authority to transfer DSPs.
“The DySP order issued by the Home Department rather than the DGP J&K is an attempt to undermine the authority of J&K Police Chief Dilbag Singh and the J&K Police Department.” Since its inception, the police chief has had the authority to transfer DSP. Civil administration's repeated attempts to undermine the authority of the Police Headquarters and the Police Chief have harmed the morale of the rank-and-file J&K Police. Previously, Sub-Inspector recruitment was taken away from Police Headquarters and given to a civilian body, SSRB, which not only botched and landed in controversies of scams of a highly transparent recruitment process held once by Police Headquarters.”
“For decades, Jammu and Kashmir have been in an extraordinary situation, and nothing should be done to weaken the police department and its Chief,” SP Vaid tweeted.
DGP Dilbagh Singh, on the other hand, remained silent on the matter.
According to sources, the police department has had authority over DySP postings, but in February 2020, the then-Chief Secretary BVR Subramaniyam amended the law to state that DySP postings would be handled by the civil administration. However, the order was never carried out in its entirety until now.
Another top J&K Police official commented on the controversy, saying, “The DG is hurt because he was not consulted.” The civil administration would have no idea who is more operationally qualified for the job. The DGP is in charge of the operation in a militancy-infested area. Furthermore, it undermines his power.”
Another official mentioned a lobby working to undermine the DG. For some time, there has been speculation that top J&K officials are not getting along.
According to sources, the civil administration, led by the Chief Secretary, recently convened a meeting with top officials, including ADG Kashmir Vijay Kumar and ADG Jammu Mukesh Singh. For some reason, the DG was not present at the meeting. That is when the list of officials who were suitable or not was discussed, but no discussion of the posting process itself took place.
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