Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has triggered off a major IAS versus IPS war in the state.
The state government, on Thursday, issued an order making it mandatory for all district police chiefs to take the approval of district magistrates before posting of station house officers (SHO).
The IPS Association has reacted rather strongly to the government diktat.
On its official twitter handle, the IPS Association has posted –“Request @CMoffice UP to withdraw order requiring approval of DMs before posting SHOs. Order is in conflict with law laid down by Hon’ble Supreme Court and High Court. It displays district in police leadership and demoralises SPs”.
According to IPS officers, the order which vested more powers in the district magistrates, serves to undermine the authority of the SP and SSPs.
“There is no logic in the order. Why will a sub-inspector or inspector obey his superiors if his transfer and posting is subject to the approval of the district magistrates? The SPs and the SSPs will no longer be able to command the police force in their districts if the district magistrate is given these powers”, said a DIG-rank officer.
A SSP rank officer posted in a district in eastern UP, echoed similar sentiments and said that “If the transfer powers are being given to the district magistrate and then responsibility for maintaining law and order should also be given to the civil officers. Why should SPs and SSPs be accountable for the law and border situation in their districts when they wield no powers over their subordinates?”
The confrontation between the two services had actually started last year in September when chief secretary Rajive Kumar issued a letter, directing district magistrates to chair all law and order meetings in their respective districts.
