The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Rank frustration among constables

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 25, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Rank frustration among constables

By R. Ilangovan

SALEM, NOV. 24. About 300 Grade-I constables working in Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts are a frustrated lot. Though they have been receiving wages on a par with head constables, they still languish as ordinary constables.

Despite a directive from the Director-General of Police (DGP), asking the Superintendents of Police to immediately promote them as per a June 3,1977 Home department order, they are yet to be elevated.

According to highly placed sources, the department in 1997 issued orders upgrading 21,000 posts of constable as Grade-I constable and head constable in a phased manner from 1997-98 to 2000-2001. Grade-II constables who put in 10 years would be promoted to Grade-I and Grade-I constables who had completed five years as head constables.

Pursuant to the orders, the DGP sent a proposal for upgrading 10,106 posts of Grade-I constable in 2002-2003. The Government accepted the proposal and directed that 10,106 posts of Grade-I constable be upgraded head constable subject to those eligible for promotion completing five years without break as Grade-I constables.

The SPs were asked to upgrade all Grade-I constables working in local stations and the Armed Reserve who were upgraded to Grade-I during 1997-98 and as head constables with effect from July 22, 2002.

However, the DGP said, those with a dubious record of punishment, suspension, criminal charges, grave charges of corruption, disciplinary proceedings and enquiries under the Police Standing Order, should not be considered for promotion.

The aggrieved constables told The Hindu that they joined the service between 1982 and 1988. Many of them even worked in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Dindigul and Coimbatore districts and were transferred to the Armed Reserve. "We now work in stations in the districts of Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri as ordinary constables." said a constable.

`Tribunal not helpful'

They approached the tribunal but its verdict, according to them ``was far from satisfactory." They met senior officers but without success. "Their decision to approach the tribunal hurt the ego of a few officers, which could also be the major reason for the delay in issuing orders of promotion," said a constable.

A senior official, however, denied the charges and claimed that the delay was ``purely technical." The issue would soon be sorted out.

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