200 senior cops await promotion since last year

More than 200 senior police inspectors in the state are waiting to be promoted to the post of assistant commissioners of police (ACPs) for more than a year. Few of them may miss the bus as they are on the verge of retirement and the home minister has clarified that the process may take some more time.

Home Minister RR Patil said that there will be no promotions till the Ganeshotsav has ended. “The files of the promotions of the officials get stuck in various departments like social justice and tribal development. The procedure takes at least two months, leading to a delay in (handing out) promotions. Once the files are cleared we will issue the order,” he told DNA.

In August 2009, 199 senior inspectors got elevated to the post of ACP. After that, nearly 200 senior inspectors have become due for the promotion, but the order has been delayed enormously. The list of 200 senior inspectors was sent to the home department by the state director general of police in June 2010, but the department turned it down citing technical reasons and raised queries.

The officers alleged that a failure to effect timely promotions had increased stress among inspectors. An inspector who is due for the promotion, said, “Scores of senior inspectors are virtually at the mercy of Mantralaya-based babus for their legitimate promotions.”

After the terror attacks of November 26, 2008, a citizen had filed a PIL in the high court about the vacant ACP posts in Mumbai. The state home department had assured the court that they will fill all the vacancies before December 2009.