BRS Regime’s Promise Sparks Debate Over ‘Ek Police System’ for Telangana State Police

Hyderabad: A promise made during BRS regime is the new fight for the Battalion of Telangana State Special Police (TSSP) in Telangana. They demanded ‘Ek Police System’ like in the states of Tamil Nadu and Punjab where Battalion police are transferred into Armed Reserve or Civil Police after a certain period.

However, the top cops see ‘Ek Police System’ not feasible in Telangana. They said, “It is a government policymaker’s decision and there was a study conducted on the states of Tamil Nadu and Punjab which did not draw consecutive results.” It is a different responsibility, expectations and training for each force.

The training of the Battalion is very little on law, more on field craft, rioting and physical fitness. For Civil Police it is more of law as they are in the police station working with crimes and less outdoor and for Armed Reserve it is more of outdoor weapon, they added.

So, the protesting officers are not understanding the repercussions of the recruitment process. The work profile is similar to Civil Police and benefits are more for Battalion. How can they be merged into one asks a police officer.

The study of the practices of other states were made and it was found out that Telangana recruitment process was one of the best, said a police officer. Director General of Police Dr Jitender said, “The system of duties in the Telangana State Police (TGSP) has been in place since several decades and during the time of United Andhra Pradesh and continues after bifurcation.” This system is currently being implemented as well.

During recruitment, police constables are selected into three categories: Civil Police, Armed Police and Special Police. Almost all states follow a similar system. The Police department will consider the concerns of TGSP personnel on merits and with sympathy.

At present, all police personnel receive surrender leaves and additional surrender leaves, a benefit not extended to other government departments in view of hard duties performed by the Police even during festivals and holidays.

Since TGSP police operate under unique circumstances, this facility has been granted, said the DGP. Moreover, salaries and allowances to police personnel in the State are highest when compared to other states, he added.