Gujarat High Court Questions Government on Police Recruitment Delays

AHMEDABAD : A bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi of the Gujarat High Court held a hearing regarding the lack of promotions and direct recruitment in the state’s police force. The court expressed concern over the significant number of vacancies and the government’s failure to address the issue effectively.

During the hearing, the government revealed startling statistics: as of March 31, 2023, there were 27,269 vacancies across various positions in the police force, including Police Inspectors (PI), Police Sub-Inspectors (PSI), Head Constables, Constables, and Intelligence Bureau (IB) officers. This number had risen to 28,993 vacancies by March 31, 2024. Despite these vacancies, no promotions or direct recruitments have been conducted since March 31, 2023.

The state government provided several reasons for the lack of recruitment, but the Gujarat High Court found these explanations unconvincing. The court noted the Supreme Court’s directive to form a police commission and establish guidelines for police recruitment. In response, the state government claimed it had formed the Gujarat Police Recruitment Board by passing a resolution on March 7, 2024.

However, the court observed that details about the board and its members were not presented. Chief Justice Agarwal remarked, “The absence of information regarding the composition and members of the Gujarat Police Recruitment Board is concerning. We need transparency and a clear outline of the recruitment process.”

The High Court has requested the Secretary of the State Home Department to provide a comprehensive blueprint of the Gujarat Police Recruitment Board. This includes details about its members, the recruitment process, and a timeline for when recruitments will take place. The court emphasized the urgency of addressing the police force’s staffing issues to ensure public safety and effective law enforcement.

The government has been directed to present this information in the next hearing, scheduled for July 2. This development comes at a time when the state police force is facing increased pressure to maintain security and public order. The vacancies have raised concerns about the ability of the police to effectively carry out their duties, potentially impacting crime rates and public safety.