In a significant judgement, the Allahabad High Court has held that "out of turn" promotions could have "a negative impact on the disciplined and orderly behaviour of police officers of subordinate ranks".
In his order passed yesterday, Justice Sudhir Agrawal directed the Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Home) and the Director General of Police to constitute a committee to find out whether any "out of turn" promotions were awarded after the existing service rules for constables, head constables, sub-inspectors and inspectors came into force in 2008.
In the aforesaid service rules, which were published in the Gazette on December 2, 2008, "out of promotions" were done away with.
The court directed the Principal Secretary and the DGP to constitute a committee to find out any anomalies and ordered that "appropriate correcting measures shall immediately be taken by recalling such orders after giving due opportunity of hearing to all concerned parties".
"This exercise shall be completed within six months so that no person may continue to retain an illegal benefit affecting discipline, rank and file in a force like UP Police Service which would otherwise have a negative impact on the disciplined and orderly behaviour of police officers of subordinate ranks," the court added.
The order was passed while dismissing writ petitions of constable Prem Kumar Upadhyay and sub-inspector Kandwa Kumar Mishra who had been recommended by their seniors for "out of turn" promotion.
They had moved the court contending that their respective cases were not considered even as "out of turn" promotions were given to some of their colleagues.
However, the court was of the view "two wrongs will not make one right".
