Transfers of IPS officers stuck in Shinde-Fadnavis disagreement

More than two weeks after the police establishment board (PEB), headed by additional chief secretary (home), recommended the names of IPS officers for new postings, the transfers are yet to take effect

More than two weeks after the police establishment board (PEB), headed by additional chief secretary (home), recommended the names of IPS officers for new postings, the transfers are yet to take effect. The differences of opinion between chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over a few appointments have reportedly delayed the process.

Nagpur, India - December 21, 2019: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendara Fadnavis addresses a press conference during the cocluding day of winter session of Maharashtra State Assembly at Vidhan Bhawan, in Nagpur, on Saturday. Photo by Sunny Shende

A home department official said there was a disagreement over appointments of a few deputy commissioners and other senior officers in Thane and other parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. “Most of the names the CM is insisting upon are recommended by the MLAs from his camp. Fadnavis has reservations over some of these officers who have no clean records or facing charges. As home minister, he is not expected to back officers with questionable track records.”

A meeting held between the duo on Saturday remained inconclusive, the official said. “It is likely to take a few more days as the government may want to avoid a change in the police force during Diwali.”

The transfers which generally happen in April and Month were put on hold by the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led government citing the upcoming Rajya Sabha and legislative council elections. The change in the government in June further delayed the transfers of the government employees as well as IAS and IPS officers. PEB recommends the postings of the IPS officers based on their annual confidential reports and capabilities.