After receiving not much response from constables over their willingness for B-1 promotion test for the rank of head constables, the police Friday extended the deadline to submit their consents till June 22. Thursday was the last day for submitting their consents for the B-1 test. Sources said around 598 constables submitted their willingness till Thursday. There are around 3,300 constables in Chandigarh Police and a majority of these wanted promotion on the basis of seniority, being followed for a long time, instead of the written and physical test. Recently, a delegation of UT Police constables met local MP Kirron Kher, who took up the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 8. A source said, "The 598 constables who submitted their consents are those who joined Chandigarh Police after 2012. Most of them are from the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBn). According to the B-1 test, every constable up to the age of 40 and having three years in service is eligible for appearing in the promotion test. The irony in this process is that a large number of constables in Chandigarh Police are above 40. They have around more than 10 years of police service. The process of promoting the constables on the basis of seniority has been there since the formation of Chandigarh Police except in 1992 when the B-1 test was introduced. Subsequently, it was turned down." Sources said that the concept of B-1 test for the constables' promotions was again introduced during the tenure of former Chandigarh DGP Sanjay Beniwal in 2019. So far, no one was promoted under this process. A police officer said, "We extended the deadline for submitting the consent for one week. We want to give everyone a chance. The decision will be taken by DGP (UT) Praveer Ranjan. The concerns of police personnel, who are not in favour of the B-1 test, are in our knowledge." On June 8, MP Kirron Kher had urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene in the process of promotions from the rank of constable to head constable in Chandigarh Police. She said promotions should be on the basis of seniority and merit instead of written and physical tests under the B-1 test process. The letter read, "A delegation of police personnel met me. I was told that Chandigarh Police is in the process of promoting the constables through the B-1 process in which a constable up to the age of 30 years and having three years of experience is eligible to appear for the promotion test. However, most of the constables in Chandigarh Police are above 30 years of age and have around 15 years of service. They cited a strong apprehension that they will not be able to compete with the young constables in the written and physical tests. I am also of the opinion that promotions in the police force should be on the basis of seniority and merit."
