Hurdles in Haryana Police Service (HPS) Promotions: Files Sent Back Over Integrity Certificates

Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal has returned the prepared promotion files of 13 Haryana Police Service (HPS) officers, citing objections over incomplete Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs). The Chief Minister's office sources reveal several officers lacked certified integrity certificates. The file, previously sent for finalization, will be resent to the Chief Secretary after addressing issues raised by the police headquarters and home department. The ongoing administrative setback follows recent approval by Chief Minister Manohar Lal for 13 HPS officers to be promoted to IPS.

The proposal for IPS promotions includes five positions for 2020 and four for 2021, along with additional slots for promotion within the IPS. Despite two retirements and one officer's demise among the 2020 batch, the government accepted the recommendations, allowing 15 officers from this batch to be considered. However, the missing integrity certificates for late Ashok Kumar and Desh Bandhu raised concerns.

For the 2021 positions, 12 officers from different zones were shortlisted, including fresh names like Rajesh Kumar, Mamta Kharb, and Ravinder Kumar Tomar. However, missing integrity certificates for the late Ashok Kumar led to uncertainties in the decision.

The same pattern extends to the 2022 batch, comprising 12 officers. Among them, those from the previous year's batch who received promotion recommendations faced challenges related to integrity certificates. Names like Kushal Pal Singh, Raj Kumar Valiya, Tahir Hussain, Rajesh Kumar, Mamta Kharb, Ravinder Kumar Tomar, Narendra Singh, Ravinder Kumar, Vijay Singh, Siddharth Dhanda, Tanaya Singh, and Karan Goyal were included, with integrity certificates of a few officers still pending.

The complexity surrounding the HPS promotions calls attention to procedural flaws and administrative challenges, affecting the progression of deserving officers. The issues further highlight the need for a meticulous and transparent evaluation process for promotions within the police force.