Streamlining Police Recruitment: Gujarat HC Directs DGP To Provide Timeline For Engagement Of 25,660 Sub-Inspectors, Constables By 2026
The Gujarat High Court last week directed the state's Director General of Police (DGP) to submit a detailed timeline for completing the recruitment of over 25,000 posts of Police Sub-Inspectors and Police Constables in two phases by September 2025 and September 2026.
The direction was issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi while hearing a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea aimed at streamlining the police recruitment process.
The division bench noted, “With regard to direct recruitment posts, a recruitment plan has been prepared whereby a total of 11,377 posts of direct recruitment have been advertised vide advertisement No.GPRB/10202324/1 published on 12.03.2024. The said posts, after completion of the entire recruitment process would be filled by September 2025. However, the progress made in the recruitment process initiated in the month of March 2024 so far is not before us. The remaining 14,283 posts are proposed to be filled tentatively by September 2026. All these vacancies largely are of the posts of Police Constables of various branches of the police force, which form part of the police constabulary, namely the main ground force.”
“We, therefore, require the Director General of Police, Gujarat State to give us timetable for completion of the process of direct recruitment to the posts of Police SubInspector and Police Constable, in total 25,660 posts, which are to be filled up in two phases by September 2025 and September 2026 by the Gujarat Police Recruitment Board,” the division bench directed in its September 27 order. Court order dated 27.09.2024.
Structure of police force
The order notes an affidavit filed by Secretary of the Home Department, stating the structure of the Gujarat Police force. As per the affidavit, the police establishment is organized into several categories, including the Police Constable, the Head Constable, the Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), and the Police Inspector (PI), each filled through a combination of direct recruitment, promotion, and open competition.
The recruitment to the post of Police Constable (Class-III) is exclusively through direct recruitment, whereas Head Constables and Assistant Sub-Inspectors (Class-III) are appointed through promotions. The Police Sub-Inspector (Class-III) post is filled via three modes: direct recruitment, semi-direct recruitment (open competition), and promotion. The recruitment to the post of Police Sub-Inspector is by three modes, viz. direct recruitment, open competition (semi direct recruitment), or promotion, the affidavit states.
1186 vacancies of Police Sub Inspector (unarmed, wireless, motor transport)
The Court noted that as per the Secretary's statement for the vacant promotional posts of Police Sub-Inspector (unarmed), Police Sub-Inspector (wireless) and Police Sub-Inspector (motor transport), total number of vacant posts as on date are 1186, the promotion exercise for which shall be completed preferably by March 31 next year.
Additionally, there are 227 vacancies for Police Inspectors (unarmed, armed, motor transport, and wireless), with a deadline for filling these posts set for the same date—March 31, 2025.
"We, therefore, require the Director General of Police, Gujarat State to give us timetable of the promotion exercise for the posts of Police Inspector and Police Sub-Inspector, as noted above," the court said.
The order notes that with respect to Police SubInspector (Mode 2) and Technical Operator, amendments in the recruitment rules are at the final stage and shall be notified shortly. The court called for the notification of these amendments published in the official gazette to be placed before it.
877 vacant Assistant Sub Inspector post, 979 head constable vacancies
As per the affidavit for Assistant Sub Inspector (unarmed) and Assistant Sub-Inspector (armed), which are purely promotional posts, the total number of vacancies is 877. Similarly, the vacancy position for Head Constable (unarmed) and Head Constable (armed) as on date is 979.
"Thus, from the statement of the deponent, viz. Secretary, Home Department, we take it that the total post of Head Constable and Assistant Sub-Inspector both armed and unarmed, the total vacancies noted hereinabove, would be filled by way of promotion by 31.12.2024. We, therefore, require the Director General of Police, State of Gujarat to give us the timetable for completion of the said promotion exercise," the court directed.
The Court further directed, “Lastly, the Gujarat Recruitment Board had been created vide Government Resolution dated 07.03.2024 and as per the Government Resolution dated 17.05.2023, the constitution of the recruitment board has been provided. The details with regard to the Chairman and members of the recruitment board, duly appointed, shall be given in the said affidavit and the vacancy, if any, of the members of the recruitment board shall be filled in the meantime.”
The Court has directed the Director General of Police, Gujarat State to file an affidavit in compliance of the order and has now put up the matter on October 4.
Case Title: SUO MOTU Versus STATE OF GUJARAT & ANR