Following the verdict of the Jharkhand High Court, the Police Headquarters has terminated the services of 504 Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel in the state. Within two days, the services of about 70 more personnel will also be terminated. After this, as soon as the court's stay is lifted, the services of another 550 personnel will be terminated.
The court had imposed a stay after hearing a petition filed against the termination of these 550 personnel. Now, this petition will also be affected by the current order and will be disposed of soon. Following this, the services of all these 550 personnel will also be terminated. After this, only about 700 personnel will remain in the two SAP battalions located in Ranchi and Jamshedpur.
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The recruitment process will then begin again for the posts that become vacant. The tenure of both SAP battalions has been extended until May 31, 2027. These include SAP One in Tatisilwai and SAP Two Battalion in Haludbani, Jamshedpur.
The personnel recruited into SAP are retired army soldiers who are appointed on a contract basis. The 504 personnel whose services have been terminated were posted at various pickets, police stations, and other locations in 15 districts of the state.
These include personnel stationed in the districts of Ranchi, Seraikela, Chaibasa, Chatra, Dhanbad, Giridih, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Khunti, Latehar, Lohardaga, Pakur, Palamu, and Ramgarh, as well as those posted at training centres in various districts. The SAP battalion was formed on June 7, 2008, and in 2023, personnel went to the High Court to challenge their removal. The SAP battalion was formed on June 7, 2008.
The regulations created for this clearly stated that retired soldiers would be appointed on a contractual basis initially for two years, and thereafter they could be given a service extension for a maximum of five years. This means a soldier appointed to the SAP battalion can only serve for seven years.
In 2023, based on these same regulations, the Police Headquarters had terminated the services of 970 personnel who had completed seven years of service. This action was challenged in the High Court by the SAP personnel. They argued that the tenure of SAP is until May 31, 2027, and their service should be extended until then.
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The personnel also argued in the High Court that since there is a provision to serve in SAP up to the age of 69, they should also be given the opportunity. It was on their petition that the court had imposed a stay, due to which they had remained in service until now.
The 69-year age limit was for those who had joined SAP at the age of 62. This means one can only serve for seven years. The High Court accepted the state government's argument, upheld the seven-year regulation, and directed the removal of those who had completed seven years of service. Following this, the Police Headquarters has removed them.
Some had already voluntarily left their jobs during these two years while the hearing was ongoing. The process of removing the remaining personnel who have completed seven years of service is underway.