PANJIM: Amid ongoing hearing into a plea before the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking promotions to the rank of Deputy Superintendents of Police by promotions only, the State government on Thursday issued an order promoting 25 Police Inspectors.
The officiating Deputy Superintendents of Police have however been asked to continue holding their current posts until further orders.
The order incidentally comes little before announcement of the election code even as further hearing into the petition filed by 18 PIs — aspiring for promotions, is slated for hearing on Friday.
“On recommendation of the Local Departmental Promotion Committee, The government is pleased to promote on officiating basis the following PIs to their post of Junior Scale Officers of Goa Police Service Group ‘A’ Gazetted… with immediate effect for a period of one year or till the posts are filled on regular basis, whichever is earlier,” reads the order signed by Under Secretary (Personnel-I) Nathine Araujo, based on the approval from competent authority.
The petitioner PIs have challenged the first amendment in Goa Public Service Rules notified on December 5, 2011 where posts for DySPs were to be filled through direct recruitment. The petitioners have termed the notification as ‘arbitrary and unreasonable’ while seeking relief from the court by quashing and setting aside the order.
Before approaching the High Court, senior PIs had petitioned the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police demanding filling up of long pending posts of DySPs by promotion and insisted that the Promotion Quota for PI to DySP be changed to 100 per cent by promotion and no direct recruitment be made for filling these posts.
The government has been going through a dicey situation where there is a pressure for resumption of direct recruitment, which has been stalled for last 22 years, and at the same time, the existing officers alleged delay in promotions.
