Eight DIG positions to be vacant in 3 days
KATHMANDU, Oct 31: The day-to-day operation of Nepal Police has been heavily affected as the number of vacancies for the position of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, currently six, reaches eight in November.
At present, six positions of DIG are vacant, with additional two to be vacated by November 2 as the Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) are awaiting the desperately needed promotions by the end of November. Last week, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Basanta Bahadur Kunwar met the Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and informed him that preparations are being made for promotion.
Three DIG positions vacant in Nepal Police
According to sources at Nepal Police Headquarters, IGP Kunwar had informed Minister Lekhak that eight DIG positions would be vacant by November 2, only then would preparations be made for promotion. However, high-level officials at the headquarters had confirmed that the IGP had initiated the process previously, with the target of promoting five officials before Tihar. The process was stalled following an order from Minister Lekhak.
The Supreme Court had previously issued an order directing the police that the post of DIG must not be vacant for more than three months. On July 5, DIG Posharaj Pokharel retired from service, vacating a post which is yet to be filled. Next week marks four months of vacancy in a position of DIG. When asked why the decision has not been followed by the home ministry, Minister Lekhak claimed that the ministry is expediting the process to promote Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and has taken the suggestion of IGP Kunwar into consideration to only move forward with the promotion after eight DIG posts are vacant.
“We are in the process of promoting the SSPs to the DIG post as soon as possible,” Minister Lekhak told Republica, “And we have taken the suggestion of the IGP in consideration for the timing of the promotion.”
Recently, DIG Kiran Rana, who was heading the Tribhuvan International Airport Security Office, was promoted to Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police. However, she will retire from service on November 2 when she reaches the age limit of 56 years. DIG Rajesh Nath Bastola, Director of Police Academy, Bharatpur, also retired on October 27. Before that, DIG Yagya Binod Pokharel went on compulsory retirement on September 30 due to the age limit. On September 1, DIG Bishnu Kumar KC, chief of Bagmati Province Police Office also went on compulsory retirement due to the age limit. After DIG Ram Dutta Joshi was recently promoted to AIG, one position of DIG has been vacated by each of these five developments. With the earliest vacancy created by DIG Pokharel’s retirement, a total of six DIG positions are currently vacant.
In addition to AIG Rana’s upcoming retirement on November 2, AIG Ram Dutt Joshi is also going on retirement due to age limit. Rana has been speculated to have been ‘gifted’ the position of AIG before her retirement for her work during the Maoist insurgency period. A dozen DIGs are competing for two AIG vacancies after October 17. SSPs Buddhi Raj Gurung and Durga Singh, who were promoted on June 22, 2022, are understood to be the strongest contenders for promotion.
DIGs who were promoted on April 19, 2023, are also vying for the post of AIG. Among these DIGs, Kuber Kadayat, Kedar Dhakal, Bharat Bahadur Bohra, Rabindra KC, Chandra Kuber Khapung, Janak Bhattarai, Lal Mani Acharya, Arjun Chand Thakuri are competing for promotion to AIG. But Dhakal and Bohora will also retire soon, which will vacate two positions of DIG. There will also be a competition between three batchmates of IGP Kunwar, SSPs Dhruba Raj Raut, Bhola Bahadur Rawal and Ganesh Chand, for the eight DIG vacancies. Even if they are promoted to DIG, they will go on mandatory retirement on March 18, 2025, due to their 30 years of service. However, preparations are being made to introduce a new police law to remove 30 years of service from this year.
