PANJIM: In a notification that could raise eyebrows, the State government has issued revised recruitment rules for police constables that prohibit them from bigamy and live-in relationships.
The notification issued on May 25, regarding revised recruitment rules for the post of police constables, lays emphasis on the existing rule to declare they have not committed bigamy.
Those found in bigamous marriages will not be considered for the post or will be disqualified if found to be in such marriages later during their service. The rule, officials say, is applicable in the recruitment process across all State and Central government departments.
As per existing norms, no employee is allowed to marry a person with a living spouse or who having a spouse marries another unless the Central government gives them permission.
“No person who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living or who, having a spouse living, has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person, shall be eligible for appointment to the service,” states the notification issued by the Personnel Department.
The clause further states, “Provided that the government may, if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to such person and the other party to the marriage and that there are other grounds for so doing, exempt any person from the operation of this rule.” The RR for the group ‘C’ personnel was recently amended and notified.
Earlier, last year, the Department of Personnel and Training in Delhi had asked all central government employees to give a declaration regarding bigamy – those having two wives or two husbands at the same time – in their service book under the new format.
The rule is applicable in Goa for long, and the records are added in the service book of the concerned government servant, an official said on condition of anonymity.
“There is not much to read into this as the rules are already existing and it is not new,” said an official.
The notification specifies the educational qualification and other requirements, including passing of exams conducted by the police department for the male and female candidates.
While the officials have played down the notification, what draws the attention is the timing as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government is already seeking a ban on triple talaq.
