From now Assam police officers cannot use battalion personnel as domestic help

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• Apr 11, 2022 | Dhupali Das

The state government stated that chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had ordered a written undertaking from all battalion COs and SPs, and the cost of using any domestic help would have to be borne personally.

Digital Desk: The Assam government on Thursday released a statement ordering that no state police officer will be permitted to use battalion staff as domestic help.

The state government stated that chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had ordered a written undertaking from all battalion COs and SPs, and the cost of using any domestic help would have to be borne personally.

"No officer of the Assam Police will be permitted to use battalion personnel as domestic help. The CM directs all SPs and battalion COs to provide written commitments. Any domestic use will have to be borne by personal costs," the statement issued by the Assam government reads.

In this context, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has released strict instructions to the state police battalion Commandants and Superintendents of Police (SPs) to submit reports on accusations that various police officers of various ranks have taken Personal Security Officers (PSOs), house guards, static guards, and other positions without the approval of the relevant authority.

"There have been numerous allegations that some officers use battalion personnel for personal and household tasks at their homes. If there are such battalion personnel, I have asked the commandants of battalions and SPs to submit a certificate within 10 days. If this is true, the officer will be required to pay their salary; the government will not. So we intend to do away with it this time," CM Sarma told reporters.

CM Sarma added, "Assam has 4000 PSOs, of which we have reduced 700. Now, an order has been issued determining how many PSOs will be available for Ministers, MLAs, and the opposition leader, and under this formula, 700 more PSOs will be reduced."

"We will withdraw 600 more PSOs, and two battalions will be freed as a result," he said.

Previously, the Assam cabinet had implemented a new policy requiring PSOs to be provided only after a key security evaluation and constitutional post.