HC rejects plea by cops on promotion

The Hyderabad High Court on Friday refused to entertain two petitions moved by scores of police officers working in Telangana challenging the GO Ms No 112 and GO Ms No 133 issued by the state government on September 3, 2016 and December 28, 2017 respectively for promotion of circle inspectors as deputy superintendents of police. (DSP).

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with two petitions by Mr G. Madhu and 42 Inspectors.

The petitioners told the court that as per the rules, CIs who had worked at least two years in special units of the police department like the CID, Intelligence and Anti Corruption Bureau are only eligible to be promoted as DSPs, but the state government relaxed the rule by issuing both the GOs.

They submitted that with the relaxation of the rule, the CIs who had not served the special units would also become eligible to be promoted as DSPs and they would be deprived of the chance of being promoted.

Mr S Sharath Kumar, special counsel for the government, told the court that during the Telangana movement, the services of a majority of police officers were continued to maintain law and order in the state and therefore there was no scope for the police officers to depute them to the special units. He submitted that there were no ulterior motives behind relaxing the rules and it was only to promote eligible officers though they had not served in the special units.

While considering the argument of the state government, the bench dismissed the petitions.