Twenty-two years after the previous Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government empowered the state director general of police to transfer police officers in the rank of deputy superintendents of police and equivalent ranks, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Mohan Charan Majhi divested the top cop of the power and instead entrusted it to a committee headed by the state home secretary.
A Home department notification said the transfer and postings in the rank of DSPs/assistant commandant (AC) and additional superintendent of police (ASP)/deputy commandant (DC) will be carried out by a committee chaired by the home secretary with the DGP as a member. The other members of the committee will be special secretary/ additional secretary or joint secretary of the Home department.
The Home department said the committee will also function as a forum of appeal for disposing of representation from officers regarding their transfers and postings. In 2002, the BJD government had given the DGP the power of making transfers and postings of police officers in the rank of DSP/AC and ASP/DC.
A former DGP, who didn’t want to be named, said if the state police chief on his own can’t transfer officers in the rank of deputy SP and above, then he would remain just a titular head. “The independence of the DGP would severely be affected as the Home department officials would have a greater say on transfer and postings than the police chief. The DGP has information about all the officials of the force and should have freedom in transfer and posting. If a panel would decide transfer and postings, the DGP would lose authority and it may demoralise the force. Besides, the Supreme Court order that DGPs should be appointed for a fixed tenure of at least two years would largely remain a ceremonial order if the state police chiefs don’t get enough freedom and authority,” said the retired DGP.
Former DGP Bipin Bihari Mishra said the government’s decision to constitute a committee at Home department level to decide the transfers and postings of DSPs and ASPs would end up giving more powers to the IAS officers.
{{/usCountry}}Former DGP Bipin Bihari Mishra said the government’s decision to constitute a committee at Home department level to decide the transfers and postings of DSPs and ASPs would end up giving more powers to the IAS officers.
{{/usCountry}}“The DGP has all the information about the officers. How would the Home secretary know about the working of Dy SPs and decide on transfer and posting?” he asked.