Rehan Showkat
Srinagar, March 10 : Jammu and Kashmir High Court has issued notice to MHA through its secretary and J&K’s chief secretary among others on a petition which has a “bearing” to 25000 Indian Reserve Police personnel.
A bench of Justice Tashi Rabstan issued the notice to Secretary MHA and the Chief Secretary besides Director General of Police, seeking objections to the plea filed by six aggrieved personnel, the counsel for the petitioners—advocates Shah Ashiq Hussain and Lone Altaf said. “In this case fate of 25000 policemen of IRP is involved,” advocate Shah Ashiq Hussain told.
He said the petitioners have challenged “indiscriminate and arbitrarily” approach has been adopted by the authorities to the extent of excluding the petitioners and Indian Reserve Police (IRP) Battalions from the purview of Government Orders— No.1392-Home Of 2018 and No.1616-Home of 2018).
By these orders, he said, the government has enhanced the strength of J&K police at non-Gazetted level and subsequent distribution of posts created among various wings of the police but ignored the petitioner’s Battalions and IRP Battalions as a result of which there is mass stagnation in IRP Battalions. The approach of the respondents (MHA and J&K government), the petitioners said, is “highly arbitrarily and discriminatory.”
“During this odd and miserable period, petitioners have served the department without having attention of their life and family despite the fact that day in and out police men fell prey of the (militant) activities in which various police men (were killed),” Ashiq said, adding, “Unfortunately the petitioners and their colleagues are being looked and considered otherwise by the Government as they are not being treated equally with other police constables of executive/Armed while bestowing them the fast promotions in contrast to the petitioners.”
The petitioners have sought directions to the authorities to remove their stagnation by promoting them to the post of Assistant Sub-Inspectors and so on.
They have also sought directions to grant same and similar benefit as have been granted to the J&K police and other wings in terms of Government orders by including the IRP Battalions. They have also sought directions to consider and bring them at par with Central Reserve Armed Forces(CRPF,SSB) as recommended by Additional Director General Of Police Armed/IRP. Besides, they have sought directions to constitute a commission/committee that will recommend the overall reformation in the police system and most particularly in IRP Battalions. (GNS)
