Centre retains power to transfer provincial SP, SSP, DIG

Kathmandu, July 14

The parliamentary State Affairs and Good Governance Committee today finalised the Police Personnel Adjustment Bill stating that the central government retains the authority to transfer superintendent of police, senior superintendent of police and deputy inspector general of Nepal police even if they are deployed at provincial level.

The panel has decided that DIG will lead the province as the chief of the provincial police. Although, provincial governments have authority to direct SP, SSP and DIG through Ministry of Internal Affairs, the authority to transfer these three portfolio holders will be with the central government.

However, the central government should take consent of the respective provincial government’s Ministry of Internal Affairs before taking any decision on their transfer.

The committee today decided that the adjustment of police personnel would begin from deputy superintendent of police followed by other low ranking officers.

Secretary of Minister of Home Affairs Prem Kumar Rai said police officials opting for their adjustment at the provincial level would be awarded two additional grades. Federal Parliament’s lawmakers had demanded three additional grades for such police personnel.

Rai also said the police personnel also could choose the place as per their convenience during the adjustment process.

For now, SPs and SSPs will be transferred by the centre, but once the provinces are capable enough to recruit inspectors on their own, these police officers could be promoted to SPs and SSPs.

Provincial governments will have the final say in the transfer of SPs and SSPs in future. But the DIG of a provincial will be deployed by the centre.

According to the bill, the provincial governments cannot reduce the salary and facilities of police personnel who were adjusted in the provinces from the centre.

According to Secretary Rai, they are planning to adjust around 55,000 police personnel in seven provinces and 20,000 police personal in the centre.