Acting on SC order, Punjab creates 4,521 posts for Bureau of Investigation

Another 159 posts would be created for the ministerial cadre and 798 for civilian support staff, by abolishing an equivalent number of posts of police personnel in districts as well as at the headquarters.

Disclosing this, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said the step would ensure dedicated professional manpower of investigation cadre for the bureau, which would be assisted by legal and forensic support staff.

The bureau would focus on heinous and serious criminal cases in a professional, scientific and time-bound manner, so as to ensure effective investigations and better conviction.

The move would also lead to effective separation of law and order and investigation functions of police.

It would improve efficiency of investigation and reduce delay, and would also be catalytic in ensuring overall efficient policing.

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had, in July 2014, directed separation of investigative and law and order functions of the police to reduce the burden on the men in khakhi and bring greater efficiency into their working. However, the previous SAD-BJP government failed to initiative any steps to implement the order.

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, soon after taking over, had announced that his government would separate the two functions of the police as part of the reforms process.