Haryana’s demand for 3 DGP, 8 ADGP posts: MHA says ‘against the norm’

In its proposal sent to the MHA in February this year, the state government had also proposed an increase of ADGP rank IPS officers from current six posts to eight. However, the MHA observed that the proposal for the DGP and ADGP level is “beyond the normative percentage prescribed for these levels”.

Apart from seeking an increase in the posts of DGP and ADGP, the state also sought an increase in the posts of IGP — from16 to 18 —, DIG — from current 15 to 17 —, and SP — from 40 to 44. This would have taken the strength of IPS cadre for senior duty posts (SDPs) from current 79 to 90.

However, the MHA has found the demand to be on the higher side. “The state government has proposed an overall increase of 11 SDP (senior duty posts) from existing 79 to 90 resulting in 13.92% increase in SDPs which is high in terms of extant guidelines of allowing increase up to 5 per cent only,” says MHA in its latest communication to the state.

If the Centre agrees to the state’s proposal, even partially, then it may open more avenues for promotions for those officers who have been in the queue for long.

An officer says: “If the strength of cadre increases, then it further leads to an increase in the number of ex-cadre posts as the ex-cadre posts are created in proportion to the cadre posts. Ex-cadre posts are temporary posts of the same rank as cadre posts and created by the state government which open doors for promotion of more IPS officers.”

Currently, the state has six posts of DGP-rank officers — two cadre posts and four ex-cadre posts. DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and DG (prisons) Mohammad Akil are posted against the cadre posts. Sources say four IPS officers are looking after the ex-cadre posts in the DGP rank. They are; Alok Kumar Roy (DG, human rights and litigation), Desh Raj Singh (Comdt. General, home guards and civil defence), Sanjeev Jain (DGP, Haryana Human Rights Commission) and Shatrujeet Kapur, chairman, Haryana Police Housing Corporation (additional charge). The state has six cadre posts in ADGP rank, apart from 13 ex-cadre posts for the same rank.

Meanwhile, the MHA has also sought clarity on the cadre posts of senior IPS officers that have been kept vacant or lying vacant. After examining posting details of Haryana cadre officers, the MHA found that as many as 33 cadre posts have been kept vacant, while in the state government’s proposal only five cadre posts were mentioned as lying “vacant”. “This discrepancy needs to be rectified,” said the MHA.

The MHA wrote to the state government: “Despite keeping 33 cadre posts vacant at various levels, an increase of 11 SDPs (senior duty posts) has been proposed by the state government…of the said 33 vacant posts, 10 have been proposed for decadrement which will reduce some of the vacant posts.”

The MHA has also taken a strong exception to the posting of three non-cadre officers on cadre posts for a period exceeding three months “without the approval of the central government”. While referring to the IPS (cadre) Rules, 1954, the MHA has asked the state government to furnish its comments on the “rule violations”.

The MHA has advised the state government to consider sponsoring more officers on central deputation while pointing out that “against the authorised central deputation reserve of 31, only 10 officers are on central deputation”.

The last review of the Haryana IPS cadre was notified by the central government on February 2, 2017. As per rule 4 (2) of IPS (cadre) Rules 1954, as amended in 1995, review of the strength and composition of IPS cadres is required to be held ordinarily at an interval of five years. Hence, the review of strength and composition of Haryana cadre of IPS was due in 2022. As several months have already passed after the due date for the same, the IPS officers are eagerly waiting for the latest round of their cadre strength review.

On its part, the MHA, from February 2022 to September 2022, wrote seven letters to the Haryana government seeking a proposal aimed at reviewing the IPS officers’ cadre strength and composition. The state government in August 2023 had also sent a proposal to the central government hoping for an increase in the number of sanctioned posts for IPS officers. The state proposed an increase in the cadre strength from current 144 to 167, which includes cadre posts, ex-cadre posts and officers on training. However, two weeks later, the MHA had asked the state to send a revised proposal “duly completed in all respects in the prescribed proforma”.