KATHMANDU, Nov 5: Police have recommended two Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) for promotion to the post of Additional Inspector General (AIG) in a move that will increase the number of vacancies in the position of DIGs to a total of nine.
According to police spokesperson DIG Dan Bahadur Karki, DIGs Buddhi Gurung and Kedar Dhakal have been recommended by the police headquarters for promotion.
“We have already sent a letter to the Home Ministry recommending their promotion,” DIG Karki told Republica, “We hope to acquire an approval for the promotion from the cabinet after their next meeting on Thursday.” He added that the much-needed promotion to fill up the nine vacancies to the post of DIG will be initiated after the duo are formally promoted through a cabinet decision.
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Currently, crucial offices of the police are facing a crunch of DIGs as the promotion from the position of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) has been stalled for over four months. The Operation Department and the Kathmandu Valley Police Office (KVPO) both have a vacant position of DIGs. In the case of the Province Coordination Department (PCD) of the police headquarters which is supposed to be headed by an AIG, DIG Kedar Dhakal is currently working as the chief. Dhakal is slated to be promoted this week, overtaking DIG Durga Singh Chand who is senior to Dhakal in terms of police service. Chand is a batchmate of Inspector General of Police Basanta Bahadur Kunwar.
In the case of the KVPO, which is also led by an AIG, a DIG works as the second-man with three SSPs under him. However, currently the office has a vacant position for DIG and an SSP works as the second-man with no other SSPs at the office. Spokesperson for the KVPO SSP Binod Ghimire informed Republica that he has to shoulder the oversight responsibility of the DIG, in addition to the department-wise works of the remaining two SSPs. Under normal circumstances, an SSP is designated as the spokesperson for the KVPO without additional departmental leadership responsibility.
SSP Ghimire lamented the pressure heaped on him due to the additional responsibility. “I have to work as the spokesperson, shoulder the leadership role in two other departments in addition to the oversight work as the second-in-command at the office,” he told Republica, “It is not clear if I should focus on the internal works of the KVPO or attend external programs where the KVPO is involved.”
The trend of stalled promotions for the post of DIG started on July 5 when DIG Posharaj Pokharel retired from service. His post as the chief of the Directorate of Women, Children and Senior Citizens Services at the Police Headquarters is yet to be filled.
Recently, DIG Kiran Rana, who was heading the Tribhuvan International Airport Security Office, was promoted to Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police, vacating the position of DIG. When she retired from service on November 2 due to the age limit of 56 years, she also vacated a post of AIG. 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. DIG Ram Dutta Joshi was recently promoted to AIG.
In addition to the KVPO, the PCD and the Operation Department, other crucial divisions including the Nepal Police Academy and the Central Investigation Bureau have vacancies for the post of DIG. Similarly, the position of the chief of the Province Police Office, Madhesh which is occupied by a DIG is vacant. In absence of adequate DIGs in the police force, a DIG from the headquarters is currently filling in the leadership role of the office.
