CHENNAI: A Tamil Nadu Government Order allotting a Deputy Inspector-General's post in the Prison department to the police has stirred up an hornet's nest among jail officials.

They say that with the Inspector-General of Prison post already being occupied by an Indian Police Service officer, the allotment of one more senior post would further shrink promotion opportunities of Prison officials.

Sources, citing a provision in the All India Jail Reforms Committee report, say prisons are "correctional institutions" and it is wrong to appoint a police officer either to head the Prison Department or to any senior level.

"If challenged, the August 22, 2005 order will not have legs to stand," remarks a veteran prison officer.

About 40 per cent of the senior posts in the Prison Department are vacant, sources say. Out of the five DIG posts, three are vacant. While the Madurai Range DIG's post is vacant since August 1, 2003, the Chennai Range post fell vacant on April 1 and the headquarter DIG's post on June 1.

Five posts of Jail Superintendent are lying vacant for months in Tiruchi, Salem, Cuddalore, Pudukottai and Puzhal.

An official blames the fake bail order scam in Cuddalore jail for the absence of a Jail Superintendent. Several charges of maladministration and corruption are emanating from jails not having a supervisory official in place, says another official. The absence of a Jail Superintendent affects the management of sub-jails, too, he says.

He wonders why the Government chose to bring the Prison Department under the Public Works Department Minister. Since Independence it has always remained part of the Law Department, he adds. "It makes no sense to single out Prison Department from other uniformed services and accord it a different treatment."

At the subordinate level, the service conditions of 65 Assistant Jailors who were all recruited directly in 1985 is another issue.

"For the past 20 years we have not been promoted even once. This is the reward for working with undertrials and convicts day in and day out," fumes an official. He says the stagnation has started affecting the morale of many of his colleagues.

The Grade II Warders have their own tale to narrate. More than a year back, a Government Order to promote about 1,200 of them to Grade I was issued.

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