As the Union Territory is facing a shortage of police officers after the bifurcation of the erstwhile state, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has reportedly decided to promote 13 Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) as officiating Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs).
As per reports, the Union Territory is facing a shortage of 20 vacancies of DIGs in the sanctioned 29 posts. The decision to promote SSPs has been taken to fill these vacancies.
The J&K Government has decided to promote 13 SSPs as officiating DIGs by giving them the relaxation of completing 14 years of mandatory service of 14 years as an IPS officer.
Reports said that three IPS officers of the 2009 batch and 10 from the 2010 batch are likely to be promoted as officiating DIGs.
Out of these 13 IPS officers, who would be promoted as DIGs, 10 of them are serving in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir while three are on the central deputation.
Officers who are likely to be promoted as DIGs include Imtiaz Ismail Parray, Commandant IRP 8th battalion, Shailendra Mishra, Rahul Malik, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, SSP Baramulla, Pandey Rajiv Omprakash, SSP NIA Jammu, Sridhar Patil, AIG Technical Headquarters, Dr. Ajeet Singh, SSP CID Cell New Delhi, Altaf Ahmed Khan, SSP CID CI Kashmir, Haseeb-ur-Rehman, Commandant SDRF Ist battalion, Vikas Gupta, Officer-on-Special Duty (OSD) to Prisons Department, Abdul Qayoom, Commandant Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP), Nisha Nathyal, Commandant SDRF 2nd battalion, and Javid Iqbal Mattoo, AIG Building Police Headquarters.
Relaxation in rules to overcome the shortage of officers
Reports said that due to a shortage, some DIGs are holding additional charges across the Union Territory to ensure the smooth functioning of the Police Department.
Vivek Gupta, DIG Traffic Jammu has been holding the charge of the DIG Jammu-Samba-Kathua range while Sujit Kumar, DIG Central Kashmir has also been looking after the charge of South Kashmir. Posts of DIGs including Security, Crime Branch, CID, IRP, Armed, among others are vacant.
Reports said that it is all due to the prevailing shortage that the government has decided to give relaxation in the rules of 14 years of mandatory service as an IPS officer. Officers of the 2009 and 2010 batches would be promoted as DIGs although an IPS officer can become eligible for promotion as DIGs after 14 years of service.
