Fill up vacancies of ADSPs, HC tells TN govt

Madras High Court today directed Tamil Nadu government to fill the vacancies of Additional DSP by handing temporary promotions to all DSP's among 1979, 1981, 1987 and 1996 batch officers as per their 'inter se seniority', and according to eligibility.
Justice N Kirubakaran passed the interim order on a clutch of petitions filed by officers originally recruited as Sub Inspectors in the said years.
The matter pertains to officers now serving as DSPs and denied promotion to rank of ADSP.
The petitioners contended they have completed four years of service as DSP and were entitled to promotion as ADSP.
They alleged that although many ADSP posts were lying vacant as on April 1, 2013, no promotions had so far been given. The last promotions were awarded in January and February of 2011.

They said the empanelment started in October 2012 and the list was already prepared. There was a dispute between accelerated promotions and officials recruited in 1987.

When the matter came up before a division Bench on August 2, the government gave an undertaking that no such promotion would be given.
Since the government has not given promotion on the basis of regular seniority, the petitioners filed the writs.
Justice Kirubakaran said these DSPs were qualified for promotion as ADSP. He noted that many of those awaiting promotions had retired and only 72 DSPs were in service. Some of those would retire in the coming months, it was added.

The judge noted that about 200 police officials recruited in these years as Sub Inspectors retired and by the end of December 2013, 54 more persons would have done so.
To recognise their service as police officials, the 78 vacant posts should be filled up.
The judge also said if any directly recruited DSPs were interspersed within these groups, they should also be considered for the posts.
Talking about those who got accelerated promotion because of their involvement in the killing of forest brigand Veerappan, the judge said they should also be temporarily promoted by creating supernumerary posts, provided they satisfy the regular seniority.

The judge directed that the exercise be completed within two weeks and the matter be reported to the court for compliance.