Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 4: Cutting across party lines, several MLAs today vociferously pleaded the cause of Special Police Officers (SPOs) in the Legislative Assembly demanding their regularization and enhancement in their wages. However, following no satisfactory response from the Government they staged walk-out.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, National Panthers Party MLA from Ramnagar, Harshdev Singh said that issue regarding increase in honorarium of the SPOs and their regularization was being raised in this House during the past several years but the Government has not taken the matter seriously.
Highlighting the role of SPOs in law and order situations in the State, Mr Singh said, “on one side the honorarium of the SPOs is not being enhanced and on the other side they are being disengaged without any logical reason or any prior notice”, adding “around 100 SPOs have lost their livelihood at the hands of some police officers without any fault of theirs”.
Deputy Speaker, Mohd Sartaz Madni, who was conducting the proceedings of the House, supported the issue and directed the Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather to explain the reasons behind delay in increasing honorarium of SPOs.
“The enhancement of wages of SPOs is not within the purview of the State Government and it pertains to the Central Government”, Rather said, adding “a proposal to enhance honorarium of SPOs from existing Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per month has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for concurrence, which is still awaited”.
However, expressing dissatisfaction over the reply of the Finance Minister, BJP, NPP, JSM, CPM MLA, Mohd Yousaf Tarigami and PDF Member, Hakeem Yaseen left their seats in protest. Even the Congress MLA from Inderwal, G M Saroori joined them demanding enhancement in SPOs honorarium.
“At least direction should go to the Police Department asking them not to disengage the SPOs keeping in view their role in the law and order situation”, Tarigami and Hakeem Yaseen said. They asked how can the SPOs be disengaged without holding any enquiry or issuance of prior notice.
On this, Deputy Speaker asked the Government to ensure that police officers don’t disengage the SPOs as per their wills and whims and proper procedure should be followed in case of any complaint against any SPO. He also asked the Finance Minister to vigorously take up the issue regarding enhancement in honorarium of SPOs with the Union Government.
“JKP is the most disciplined force and in case there is any specific case of disengagement without following the procedure we will take action against the officer concerned”, Finance Minister said.
However, protest from the non-PDP Opposition and Congress MLA, G M Saroori continued and after holding demonstration over the issue for some time they staged walk-out.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel