60,000 civil police constables keenly waiting for promotions

Kurnool: Hardly three days happened that the entire Nation has observed Police Martyr’s Day celebrations on 21st of this month. On this occasion, the entire Nation has once again, remembered the sacrifices of police personnel who have laid down their lives for the sake of mother land in 1959.

But there are several other police personnel who are still sacrificing their lives for the sake of society. But they are ignored on all fronts and are decrying for the attention by the government and the department to recognise their sacrifices.

Around 60,000 police personnel across the State are languishing in the constable post for the past 27 to 30 years. Despite several representations and making rounds to the office of Home Minister, Principal Secretary, Inspector General of Police (IG) and Director General of Police (DGP), no justice has meted to the constables till date. As a result, several police personnel are suffering with mental agony and disabilities.

A constable, Vasu told The Hans India that they are directly recruited as Civil Police Constables. Several police personnel who are running the age of 50 years are placed in the same capacity. Their experiences were not taken into consideration and are treated as new constables who were recruited in 2014.

According to the Andhra Pradesh Police Manual, a clause clearly states that a constable has to be promoted to higher cadre after completion of 6 years service. Despite the clause, neither the government nor the department is showing interest for its implementation.

In addition to the promotions issue, there is another hurdle the Civil Police constables are facing with. The constables recruited under Armed Reserved (AR) department are snatching away the opportunities by lobbying with the higher authorities though they don’t have requisite qualification and service seniority.

The civil police constables would be recruited through a written exam while the Armed Reserve category is purely based on sports merit. Taking the advantage of the 10 per cent conversion quota in the civil police department, the Armed Reserved Constables are shifting to civil police to get seniority benefits.

A GO MS no.95, para 8 referred to Director General of Police of Andhra Pradesh for fixation of seniority with effect from 1.1.2008 clearly mentioned that a weightage of one year for every completed two years of service rendered as police constable in APSP, subject to a maximum of seven years.

It also stated that if the length of service of PC, APSP is above 13 years and less than 14 years then weightage have to consider to 6 years. If the date of appointment as PC in Armed Reserved (AR) is 18.1.2014 then date of fixation of seniority is 18.1.2008.

Despite of the GO MS order 95, the government is least concerned to concentrate on the promotions of the police constables. He urged the state government and the DGPto kindly look into the matter to justify the 60000 constables with promotions as per their seniority.

By Narendra Kumar