Srikakulam: Women protection secretaries oppose police status

Srikakulam: Women protection secretaries recruited for village and ward secretariats are appealing to the government to reconsider its decision to merge them into police department. In a press release here on Sunday, Women Protection Secretaries District Association reminded that as per GO MS Nos 126 and 129 issued on 1 and 10, October in 2019, women protection secretaries were recruited through competitive examination. Government merged them in the police department by issuing GO MS No 59 dated in June this year and also designated them as police constables.

But the women protection secretaries are opposing the decision on the ground that their recruitment was different from constables. They also explained that no special training is provided for the women protection secretaries like police training and no physical tests were held. Age limit also 42 for women protection secretaries while for constables it is 22.

Physically-challenged are not eligible for constables but eligible for women protection secretaries.

Most of the women secretaries are not able to perform duties

on par with constables due to their age, physical fitness and lack of training, the statement by the association said.

On the other hand police officials also are not happy over the government decision on merger of women protection secretaries into police department by providing constable designation. But in the wake of job code and restrictions to express dissent both women protection secretaries or police personnel are requesting to maintain anonymity in this regard.