Our Correspondent
Kohima | June 4
The Unarmed Branch Inspectors (UBIs) have expressed dismay over the failure of the Home Department and State Government to address disparity of promotion with their batch-mates in the armed branch of the State police force.
In a representation to the Home Commissioner, dated May 14, the UBI Forum Nagaland lamented that their promotions have stagnated for years altogether while their batch-mates in the armed branch have gone up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
Appealing the government to enforce uniformity and discipline within Nagaland police fraternity, the UBI Forum cited the Supreme Court order that there shall be police establishment board in each state which shall decide all transfers, postings, promotions and other service related matters of officers of and below the rank of DSP.
The Forum also cited that the Assam Police Manual or Nagaland Police Manual states that “post of armed branch sub inspector (ABSI) is a reward post, shall be filled by the senior most Havildars and that there shall be no direct recruitment of ABSI”.
The Forum pointed that the Government through a letter on May 5, 1997 directly recruited 13 Sub Inspectors (SIs) and out of it 6 meritorious selected candidates were posted to police stations and other branches, whereas seven were posted as Armed Branch Sub Inspectors (ABSI) in armed battalions.
They lamented that while the aforementioned UBSIs till date are stagnated in the rank of Inspector, the ABSIs of the same batch were promoted to the rank of DSP many years back although all 13 SIs underwent the same training at the same academy and college.
On November 5, 1999, they said, 20 SIs were sent to various police stations, whereas remaining five were randomly picked and posted to armed battalions. Out of the five, three have already been promoted to DSP since 2016.
On the same date and year, 12 ASIs were appointed through open recruitment, they said, adding that out of the 12 SIs, eight were randomly picked and posted to AB (IRB) and within six months they were elevated to ABSI on the ground of non-availability of such ASI post in Armed Battalions. The eight of them were promoted to inspector in the year 2010 and they are on the verge of next promotion to DSP. However, they lamented that those posted to police stations till date are in the rank of ASI.
The UBI Forum also lambasted that on January 22, 2016, all eight posts of DSPs were fully given to the Armed Branch Inspectors (ABIs) and whereas the UBIs were deprived of from even 10% quota. “As practiced in the past, out of 50% Departmental promotion of DSP quota, a ratio of 90:10 (AB:UB) of sanctioned strength was prevalent, due to which UB were badly victimized and stagnating the promotion,” they said.
The forum recalled that since 1997 many representations were submitted to the concerned authority to either maintain or implement an alternative arrangement.
Remarking that till today no tangible solution has been initiated, the forum demanded compensation of 15 posts of DSP to the deprived UBIs and implementation of the meeting minutes of May 22, 2017 at the earliest. The Forum has also requested the authorities to fully implement the SC direction for Police Establishment Board. It cautioned that the forum would file contempt of court against the authorities of the department if they fail to fulfill the demand.
DGP assures to initiate measures
Meanwhile, Nagaland DGP, Rupin Sharma while interacting with media persons acknowledged receipt of the representation.
“This is an old issue which needs to be addressed as it creates problems in the force as in some cases junior officers in armed branch have become senior over their unarmed branch officers,” he stated.
The DGP said one of the reasons was the over emphasis on the NAP (IR) battalions over the District Executive Force, Police Stations and SP establishment of Nagaland police. This, he said, has resulted in more posts being created and sanctioned by the government in IRB and NAP and lesser man power in the DEFs.
Another reason, he stated, could be that the established procedures for armed battalions may not have been followed because there were instructions as per the police manual that the post of havildars and SI in the battalion would be filled up only through promotions whereas the posts have been filled up by direct recruitments. A direct recruit takes lesser time to get promotions, the DGP said.
He however assured that the department would initiate measures to address the problem so that some degree of balance can be maintained. He was also of the opinion that there is requirement of adjustment from both sides to bring about parity in the system.
Consequent to the representation, the DGP informed that the PHQ has set up a committee to examine the issue and submit a report at the earliest. While stating that the department would do whatever is possible, he however added that the PHQ will have to look up to the government for a final resolution.
