10 yrs as head constable prerequisite to be SSI: HC

CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court ruled that a police officer who fails to complete 10 years of service as head constable is ineligible for getting promoted to the position of Special Sub-Inspector.

The bench comprising Justice R Subramanian and Justice G Thilakavadi passed the orders on allowing an appeal preferred by the state government. The state police have challenged the order of a writ court directing the department to give promotion on the grounds that a policeman had completed 25 years of total service.

The appellant department submitted that the qualification for promotion as Special Sub-Inspector was the subject matter of reference to a full bench order in another case, in view of the conflict of opinion in this regard.

“In the case of the state of Tamil Nadu represented by its secretary to government, Home Department vs C Srinivasan in 2019, the full bench rejected the position of the division bench which concluded that a cumulative service of 25 years would be adequate for the SSI promotion,” the AGP continued.

Recording the submissions, the bench held that the petitioner was appointed as Grade-II Police Constable on July 11, 1973, was promoted as Grade-I Police Constable on February 23, 1993, and was further promoted as Head Constable on January 12, 1998.

“Unfortunately, he attained superannuation on June 30, 2007, even before he could complete 10 years of service as head constable. He therefore hadn’t served as a Head Constable for ten years. Hence, he would not be entitled to promotion as Special Sub-Inspector, in view of the pronouncement of the Full Bench,” the court ordered.