In a significant move, the Odisha government has constituted a panel, headed by the Home Secretary, to decide the transfers and postings of police officers at the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and equivalent positions. This decision will divest the Director General of Police (DGP) of critical supervisory powers.
According to a notification issued by the Home Department, the transfers and postings of officers at the ranks of DSP/Assistant Commandant (AC) and Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP)/Deputy Commandant (DC) will now be managed by a committee.
The transfer and posting committee will be chaired by the Home Secretary, with the DGP as a member. A second member will be the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary of the Home Department (in charge of the establishment). The notification issued on Wednesday clearly stated that the committee will also function as a forum of appeal for handling representations from officers regarding their transfers and postings.
In 2002, the state government had vested the DGP with the authority to make transfers and postings of police officers at the ranks of DSP/AC and ASP/DC, a responsibility that was previously managed by the Home Department.
However, the government’s decision to reverse this 22-year-old order and remove the DGP’s powers has not been well-received by the police fraternity.
