At least a dozen IPS officers in the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police and Superintendent of Police are awaiting promotion though many of them were declared fit for elevation months ago. While their batchmates in other States have already been promoted and given posting, these officers are keeping their fingers crossed even as vacancies exist.

A couple of months ago the 1995-batch of IPS officers comprising IGPs S. Davidson Devasirvatham, Sandeep Mittal (on central deputation), S. Bala Naga Devi (on inter-cadre deputation) and S.N. Seshasai (retired from service on May 31) were promoted to the rank of Additional Director-General of Police.

But officers belonging to the 2002 batch in the rank of IGPs — J. Loganathan, Kapil Kumar C Saratkar, N. Kannan, Santosh Kumar, P.C Thenmozhi, G. Karthikeyan, K. Joshi Normal Kumar and K. Bhavaneeswari — though declared fit for elevation in February were not issued orders of promotion/posting.

Similarly, the 2006 batch has nine IPS officers — Abhishek Dixit, S. Mallikha, B. Shamoondeswari, S. Lakshmi, S. Rajeswari, M. Pandian, S. Rajendran, M.S. Muthusamy and N.M Mylvahanan — who are awaiting promotion.

Though sources in the police headquarters say the proposals relating to the promotion/posting of both batches were sent to the Home Department, a decision on issuing the orders would have to be taken at the highest level.

“It is just not the IPS officers who are waiting for promotion/postings. There are officers in other ranks like Additional Deputy Superintendents of Police, Deputy Superintendents of Police etc who are on the verge of retirement waiting for elevation.

“A fresh batch of Group-I DSPs who completed their practical training are waiting for postings since six months now,” a senior police official said.

TNPA in trouble?

In another issue, the Tamil Nadu Police Academy, considered one of the country’s best police training centres, is going through a leadership crisis with most of its senior officers either proceeding on leave or on deputation.

While the ADGP, TNPA, has been roped in to monitor COVID-19 control strategy in Chennai City, the IGP was on medical leave, two SPs and one DSP were on leave, sources in the academy said, adding that about three other officials were also on medical leave due to COVID-19.

The DGP (Training) has deputed a DIG-rank officer to supervise the affairs of the academy that provides training for not only the direct recruit Group-I DSPs, Sub-Inspectors etc, but serves as a training platform for other Central/State law-enforcing agencies.

“The ADGP is on official duty managing the pandemic in the city and the IGP has proceeded on medical leave. The other two SPs have availed leave as per norms. The DGP/Head of Police Force had a discussion with the DGP (Training) on this issue on Saturday. Posting officers in the vacancies in TNPA [that arose due to officers going on leave/deputation] is a decision to be taken by the government,” an official in the police headquarters said.