Avinash Azad
Jammu, June 23: Proverb 'Might is Right' seems fit for the functioning of Jammu and Kashmir Police department as 19 out of 25 district headquarters of police in 22 districts of state, are being headed by local KPS officers.
Sources said that in Jammu division, seven districts are being headed by local SPs (KPS). These include Kathua, Samba, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts. Similarly in Kashmir division 12 out of 15 district police headquarters in 12 districts are also being headed by SPs.
However, sources said that the state has shortage of 35 IPS officers against the total sanctioned strength owing to which many key posts are either vacant or held by junior cadre officers. "Most of these SPs have proximity with ruling NC-Congress coalition and are enjoying political patronage", said an IPS officer seeking anonymity. He further said that the sanctioned strength of IPS was 147 and available number of officers is 112 due to which the working of the department, particularly at the administrative level suffers badly.
"In J&K non IPS officers are posted as district chiefs (SSP) and Superintendents of Police (SP)", he said, adding that as per rules only IPS officers could hold these posts but unfortunately in the state Kashmir Police Service (KPS) officers were holding these positions. He said that it might be temporary arrangement for some time, but most of the SPs have been holding the seat of district police chief for years-together.
"To overcome shortage of IPS cadre, the state Government has to bring an SRO to regulate the cadre of nearly 300 Kashmir Police Service (KPS) officers to bring them at par with the IPS officers", the officer said, adding that same has got caught in political vertex.
"The SRO named as Jammu and Kashmir Police (Gazetted) Service Recruitment and Pay Rules, 2014 framed by the Home Department had been finalized by the end of March 2014", he said, adding but vested interests are delaying the process. |
