MHA’s DANIPS-cadre move receives a blow

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26

In a blow to the move of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding sending DSPs of the DANIPS (Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Services) cadre on deputation to Chandigarh, a Division Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) today allowed the application of four UT police inspectors, who had sought promotion as DSPs.

In their plea, the applicants -- Gurmukh Singh, Charanjit Singh, Amarao Singh and Dilsher Singh -- had sought the quashing of the July 26, 2016, order of the MHA under which three DSPs of the DANIPS cadre were ordered to be brought on deputation to Chandigarh.

They further sought that vacant posts be filled from among the existing officers of the UT police. CAT had, on August 2, stayed the order of bringing them on deputation.

The Division Bench comprising Justice MS Sullar, Member (Judicial), and Uday Kumar Varma, Member (Administrative), today allowed the plea. The Bench sought to know from the respondents on what basis this was being done. To this, counsel for the respondents replied that the MHA was formulating a policy in this regard. However, the tribunal did not accept it as it was not allowed as per the existing rules.

Counsel for the petitioners Rohit Seth had contended that the UT posts of DSP were not part of DANIPS. According to the Punjab Recruitment Rules, 80 per cent posts are to be filled from among inspectors of the UT, Chandigarh, with six years service and 20 per cent by way of direct recruitment.

Seth argued that according to a reply to a recent RTI plea, four posts of DSP were lying vacant. Of the present lot, nine DSPs were transferees and eight promotees.