M A I N   N E W S

Toothless, Punjab DGP has no say in postings, transfers
Jangveer Singh/TNS

Chandigarh, January 11
Amid allegations of politicisation of the Punjab Police with the Director General of Police (DGP) having no say in postings and transfers, it has now been revealed that he cannot even order a temporary posting.

Home Dept order The state police chief has been barred from conducting any temporary transfer without the approval of Deputy CM, who also holds the Home portfolio The order makes it clear that no officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police or above can be awarded temporary postings

According to an order passed by the Home Department (a copy of which is with The Tribune), the DGP has been barred from conducting any temporary transfer without the approval of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the Home portfolio.

The directive, which has been posted to DGP Sumedh Singh Saini as a clarification regarding posting of gazetted officers, was sent out in October. It makes it clear that no officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) or above can be awarded temporary postings.

Sources said DGPs had till now been using their inherent powers to order temporary postings to cater to administrative exigencies. They said till the passing of this order, the state police chief could post officers on particular duties on a temporary basis for a period of three months. Such officers were either reverted or their posting regularised on need basis. Such postings also catered to emergencies.

Meanwhile, sources at the headquarters here feel the order is part of a drive to dilute the DGP’s position. They said in the past DGPs have been given certain leverage in postings and even allowed temporary postings. They claimed the DGP currently had little say in even regular postings that were decided by political masters and now he had been derived of the power to even order temporary postings.

Though DGP Sumedh Singh Saini was not available for comment, government sources claimed they were only trying to streamline the administration with this measure. There is a feeling that a centralised posting system utilising police officers as per the needs of the system eradicates the need for temporary postings and, hence, the order.

Be what it may, but the order had certainly affected the morale of the force and even affected the prestige of the office of the DGP, sources said.