Deputation of DIGs

• 04 Mar 2022

For Prelims: Central deputation of Deputy Inspector General-level IPS officer, All India Services, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

For Mains: Federalism, Policing system.

Why in News?

Recently, the Centre has issued another order on the central deputation of Deputy Inspector General-level IPS officers.

• The order held that IPS officers coming to the Centre at the DIG level would no longer be required to be empanelled at that level with the Union Government.
• The order came after its proposal to amend the All India Service Rules that would allow it to call any IAS, IPS or IFoS officer on central deputation with or without the state’s consent.

What is the Order?

• According to existing rules, a DIG-ranked IPS officer with a minimum experience of 14 years could only be deputed to the Centre if the Police Establishment Board empanelled them as DIGs at the Centre.
  • The board chooses the panel on the basis of officers’ career and vigilance records.
  • Till now, only the Superintendent of Police-level officers does not require empanelment at the Centre.
• The new order makes the entire pool of DIG-level officers in a state eligible for central deputation.
• However, this would not automatically allow DIGs to come to the Centre. Officers would still have to be put on the offer list for central deputation which is decided by the states and the Centre in consultation.

Why has it been issued?

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the move is aimed at increasing the pool of DIG-level IPS officers for central deputation in the backdrop of massive vacancies in Central Police Organisations (CPOs) and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
  • According to data sourced from various CPOs and CAPFs, out of 252 posts reserved for IPS officers at DIG level at the Centre, 118 (almost half) are vacant.
  • Also, it increases the size of the pool of officers available to the Centre.
• IPS officers have a quota of 40% in CPOs and CAPFs. The Centre had in November 2019 written to states proposing to decrease this quota by 50%, saying more than 60% of posts remain vacant since most states do not spare their officers.
• Also, MHA held that the number of districts in some states doubled in a decade or so, the availability of officers was one third.

Why would states have a problem?

• The new order may be seen by many states as the Centre’s attempt at pushing the envelope further on increasing its powers over officers serving in the states.
  • Further, there is a serious paucity of officers in the states too.
• It is against the spirit of cooperative federalism.
• The proposed amendment would weaken the State’s political control over the bureaucracy.
• It would affect effective governance and create avoidable legal and administrative disputes.
• The Centre could weaponise the bureaucracy against an elected State government.

All India Services (AIS)

• About: The All India Services (AIS) comprises the three civil services of India:
  • Indian Administrative Service (IAS),
  • Indian Police Service (IPS), and
  • Indian Forest Service (IFoS).
• Federal Nature of AIS Officers: AIS officers are recruited by the Union Government (by UPSC) and their services are allotted under various State Cadres.
  • Hence, they have the accountability to serve both under the State and the Centre.
  • However, the Cadre Controlling Authority of AIS is the Union Government.
    • The DoPT is the cadre controlling authority of IAS officers.
    • Cadre controlling authority for deputation of Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service Officers (IFoS) is the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Environment Ministry respectively.
• Central Deputation Reserve: The State government has to prescribe a number of officers available for deputation as prescribed under Central Deputation Reserve.
  • Every State cadre of the service provides for a Central deputation quota which in turn requires additional recruitment to be made to the service to provide for trained and experienced members to serve on posts in the Central Government.
• Deputation of AIS Officer and Present Rules:
  • In normal practice, the Centre asks every year for an “offer list” of officers of the All India Services willing to go on central deputation, after which it selects officers from that list.
  • Officers have to get a no-objection clearance from the State government for Central deputation.
  • States have to depute the All India Services (AIS) officers, to the Central government offices and at any point, it cannot be more than 40% of the total cadre strength.

Source: IE