Maha Police’s ‘transfer policy document’ seeks end of lobbying culture in force

 

 

 

A NEW ‘transfer policy document’ prepared by Maharashtra Police is set to create ripples in the State as it seeks to neutralise lobbying culture in the force. The proposed policy draft, initiated by Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Pandey after taking reins of State Police, aims at ending ‘political and biased transfers’ in the department. However, top ranked police officers are divided in opinion on the policy document. Some are of the view that the document did not have scope for action against officers taking political patronage for postings. The document, issued by ADG (Training and Special Units) Sanjay Kumar, is in possession with ‘The Hitavada’. Whether the document was submitted to the government or not by the DGP could not be confirmed. As per the document, recent experience about posting of senior officers created doubts among officers about their career progression. One of the reasons is there is no policy for posting officers, the document states.

 

“The time-tested and well-established norm for posting is merit-cum-seniority. At the same time it is desired that each officer gets exposure in all wings of policing so that they can develop into a well-informed leader of police, in the long run,” the document says. As per the document, no officer should be posted on the same post more than once. No officer should be posted in same unit more than once and promotion should not qualify them to continue in the same unit. The documents stated that all directly recruited IPS officers, on their first posting, are to be posted in ‘A’ category district in a sub-division away from the headquarters for full tenure of two years. In between transfer of the officers should be avoided. As per the documents, the 34 District police units have been divided into ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ categories, police ranges classified into ‘A’ and ‘B’ categories while ADG Rank Commissionerate also grouped into ‘A’ and ‘B’ categories.

 

District postings

 

‘A’ Category - IPS officers having 8.10 years of service and have done postings at smaller districts B/C category and had done one DCP posting in any of the Commissionerate qualify for the post.

 

‘B’ Category - IPS Officers after five years of service which includes two years of training, two years of ASP and one posting of additional SP/ Commandant qualify for the post.

 

‘C’ Category - IPS Officers after five years of service as above qualify for the post.

 

SP ACB - At least 15 years of service is required which includes one full tenure of A category district and one posting as DCP in Commissionerate, before being posted as SP ACB. Regular Recruit (RR) IPS should also be considered for posting as ACB after 10 years of service.

 

Career progression for IPS (RR) All the RR officers of IPS should go through a fixed pattern of posting at least to start with which includes two years of ACP away from district HQs, so that he could develop decision making capabilities of his own, one year of additional SP ship in ‘A’ category district at District HQ, after that he should be given an independent charge of ‘C’ category district or Commandant SRPF. After one district he should be posted as DCP to any Commissionorate except Mumbai. After that he can go to ‘A; category district or DCP Mumbai depending upon vacancy and selection.

 

Policy incomplete without ‘action for violation’ A section of top officers observed some lacunas in the document and stated that the document was prepared so that every officer should get equal opportunity of serving in all types of units and services of Maharashtra police. However, the document does not tell what action will be taken against officer who violates rules. If an officer uses political patronage and get transferred to another important post violating the policy, the DGP should take him to task in his Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs). Without mentioning the action for violation of policy, the document is incomplete, an official said.

One posting to ADGP as CP The policy document has set the principles for posting of ADGP rank officers so that maximum number of officers can be accommodated on available executive posts. No ADGP may be given more than one opportunity to serve as Commissioner during his tenure as ADGP. This point is most important in the document as it seems that some ‘selected’ officers were getting posting at important commissionerates. Another point highlighted in the document was that seniority should be given preference while posting as CP. Senior-most ADGP should be given opportunity to serve in the Commissionerate falling vacant of any category, at his refusal/unwillingness the post should be offered to next in seniority. It may be mentioned that many ADGP rank officers were retired in the State without serving as CP in the State. Despite of their seniority, they were never offered the post of CP and remain serving in the side postings. For ‘A’ category Commissionerate, the documents decided that the post should be offered to officer having experience of ADGP for more than two years and have not done another Commissionerate as ADGP rank earlier. Preference for postings in ‘A’ category Commissionerate as CP should be given to officers who have not served as Commissioner as IGP and not served as Joint CP either at Mumbai or A class Commissionerate, the document stated.

 

 

‘A’ Category districts - Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Gadchiroli, Akola, Nanded, Beed, Pune Rural, Kolhapur, Solapur Rural, Nasik Rural, Yavatmal, Nagpur Rural, Thane Rural

 

‘B’ Category districts - Amravati (R), Aurangabad (R), Latur, Parbhani, Gondia, Dhule, Raigarh, Ratnagir, Palghar, Buldhana, Jalana, Sangli, Satara, Chandrapur

 

‘C’ Category districts - Nandurbar, Osmanabad, Sindhudug, Hingoli, Washim, Bhandara, Wardha.

 

Classification of police range

 

‘A’ Category ranges - Kolhapur, Nasik, Konkan and Amravati

 

‘B’ Category ranges - Aurangabad, Nanded and Nagpur

 

 

‘A’ Category - Thane, Pune and Nagpur

 

‘B’ Category - Navi Mumbai, Pimpri Chinchwad and Mira Bhaindar