New Delhi: Officers from four Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have started a fresh legal battle in the Delhi High Court to stop the deputation of IPS officers in their forces.
A month after the Supreme Court refused to grant their request, officers from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have filed several writ petitions in the Delhi High Court, praying for an end to the IPS officers’ deputation in their forces.
While the ITBP was the first to approach the court and get a temporary stay on the deputation of IPS officers, all the other forces followed suit, with over 383 CISF officers, 80 CRPF officers and 80 BSF officers expressing the grievances in the high court.
Responding to the petitions, the Delhi High Court has asked the government to inform the court each time a position above the rank of DIG in the CRPF, CISF and BSF is to be filled by an IPS officer until the matter is settled. For the ITBP, the court has put a stay on the deputation of IPS officers until the next hearing.
“This is a grave issue in all the forces, that is why we have approached the courts again,” said a senior CRPF officer. “The message is clear — that these forces have completely given up on the IPS leadership.”
The officer said the executive cadre joining these services with some legitimate expectations of career progression has been routinely let down by the IPS, which is why the forces have been forced to knock on the judiciary’s doors again.
“We will fight this battle until we have exhausted every window possible,” the officer said.
Also read: IPS officers defending hegemony over CAPFs is like British justifying their rule over India
The issue of vacancies
In their petitions, the CAPF officers have highlighted the problem of massive vacancies in the positions reserved for IPS officers at the levels of inspector general (IG), deputy inspector general (DIG) and superintendent (SP), arguing that IPS officers are not interested in coming to the forces at lower posts.
A second CRPF officer said as a result of this, on the one hand, “there is stagnation among CAPF officers who retire without being promoted”, and on the other, “there are vacancies in the CAPFs, affecting the smooth functioning of these forces”.
The petition of the CRPF officers highlights the gravity of the problem. In the CRPF, five IG posts are lying vacant. The problem is worse at the DIG level, with 20 posts lying vacant for the last 10 years, and only two positions physically occupied by IPS officers.
In the BSF, 37 DIG posts reserved for IPS officers have been temporarily diverted to cadre officers.
The petition states that the immediate juniors to these rank are suffering, as their promotional avenues are closed despite the positions being vacant, because they are reserved for the IPS cadre.
“It is pertinent to mention that the respondents should be more agile while filing the said high ranks posts which are necessary for smooth functioning and management of the organisation,” it says.
‘They want to impede functioning’
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had granted the status of Organised ‘Group A’ Services to the CAPFs. While the order was interpreted by CAPF officers to mean that the deputation of IPS officers up to a certain rank in their forces will end, IPS officers felt it meant only giving financial parity to CAPF officers.
“The Supreme Court has already decided the issue,” a senior IPS officer said. “They filed a clarificatory plea, and were explicitly told by the court that deputation of IPS officers in CAPFs cannot be challenged… Yet, they want to impede the functioning of the forces.”
Also read: CAPF must stop slandering IPS, shows lack of discipline: Ex-BSF chief
Cadre officers of CAPF are facing very high stagnation. It is taking 10 years to get them first promotion while in other Central Services it is only 3 to 4 years. For IPS it takes only 15 years to become DIG while for CAPF officer, who joins at same rank, it takes 25 to 28 years. This stagnation is causing frustration in them which can be seen from very high attrition rate. CAPF cadre should not be denied of its rights for so long.
Home Ministry should stop deputation of IPS to CAPF. It would be in the interest of nation if IPS focuses on law and order in states and CAPF officials are motivated to safeguard borders and to fight internal security challenges of India.
I would ask that so called ‘Senior IPS Officer’ if he knows how to read the alphabet when the Supreme Court said ‘Consequential Benefits’.
Nothing else to say!
CRPF, the oldest of Central Armed police Forces was raised in 1939 as Crown Representative Police and later renamed Central Reserve Police after independence. Obviously, the functioning of the Force had to be managed by Police and Military officers. CRPF started it’s own recruitment in the year 1962 and until the cadre officers attained sufficient seniority to hold the command of the Force, the intake from Army and Police continued. However, gradually and in a very limited manner, the GOI began to release some senior posts in favour of cadre officers but definitely not sufficient to meet legitimate career aspirations of cadre officers. Considering expansion in the Force, the MHA fixed a centra deputation quota at 40% for IPS officers. This quota has, however, not been reviewed even till date though the number of eligible, qualified and experienced cadre officers are awaiting rise in career. This is the crux of the issue. IPS does not want to leave senior posts for cadre officers and perhaps the arrangement suits MHA also. So nothing moved until the courts saw through the nefarious design and nexus between IPS and MHA. Now that the departmental officers are senior and experienced enough to go upto Addl DG’s ranks, there is absolutely no need to take recourse to outsiders anymore. We look forward to seeing Justice through courts now