By Purushottam P. Khatri

Kathmandu, Mar. 28: Integration of police employees in the State Police Offices from the Centre (Nepal Police Headquarters) is likely to begin from mid-April, 2020.
A seven-member Organisation and Management Survey Committee headed by Home Secretary Maheshwor Neupane is designated to prepare the details of the total number of police to be integrated into State Police Offices and the number of police employees to remain in the Centre.
According to joint-secretary and spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kedar Nath Sharma, details of the total police employees to be integrated into the states has been received from the Police Headquarters and the next meeting will most likely analyse it and finalise the total number.
Asked whether the integration process has been hampered by the coronavirus pandemic, joint-secretary Sharma said that the integration process is most likely to prolong if the coronavirus pandemic persists.
Sharma, however, said that the two meetings had been conducted since the Bill regarding this was certified by President Bidya Devi Bhandari on February 11, 2020.
As per the Act’s provision, collecting details of the police employees to be integrated should be completed by one month of the certification of the Bill.
The new Act has allowed for the provision of integrating police employees only up to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and juniors in the State Police Offices.
Superintendent of Police (SP) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) level officers would be deployed in the States by managing a ‘pool vacancy’ and their deployment would begin from the centre, according to the Act.
The Act has, however, not mentioned when the notice for integrating employees will be issued.
The provision of integrating only up to DSP level employees in the States will then create a platform for SPs and SSPs making them in-charge, who are to be deployed from the Centre.
Section 12 (7) of the Act has also managed another provision of having the command of centre police officers if in case two – centre and state police —officials jointly deployed in maintaining peace and order in the society.
The Act has already finalised that the State Police Office will be headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
According to Ram Prasad Acharya, joint-secretary and administration chief at the Home Ministry, the State Police employee’s deployment in case of any serious security situation also rests in Chief District Officers.
According to Acharya, after the centre finalises the integration, their ranks and placements, the concerned State Ministries will have their rights to introduce their separate State Police Act and Regulation accordingly.
Acharya said police personnel to be integrated into the State will be given only one level of grade promotion, but not the promotion of their designation.
Deputy Inspector General and spokesperson of Nepal Police Headquarters Shailesh Thapa Chhetri said that all the State Police Offices, including Nepal Police, will have same dress code. However, the logo of State Police will vary according to the State.
At present, Nepal Police Headquarters has a total of 75,628 positions out of which around 10,000 are still vacant.