The six-month extension of service for T John Longkumer as Director General of Police (DGP) Nagaland has raised many eyebrows as the second extension of his service comes following the expiry of his first service extension on 31 August 2022.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, commenting on the matter, said the state government has no issue on this matter as Longkumer’s service extension has been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
“Those who are criticising, let them explain themselves; it is not the problem with the state. You question the MHA, not me,” said the Chief Minister.
The Nagaland Law Students’ Federation (NLSF) issued a press release yesterday expressing shock at the extension of T John Longkumer’s tenure as DGB by another six months. Underlining Longkumer’s deputation history from a cadre of Chattisgarh to becoming the DGB as an inter-state cadre and the subsequent extension of his tenure, the press release states:
“The NSLF is unable to comprehend the rationality of the unreasonable action of the State Government in reinstating a retired cadre of Chattisgarh for further 6 months against the highly eligible IPS Cadres of Nagaland.”
The release goes on to say that “the cadres of Nagaland have been deprived of the opportunity which is ex-facie violative of the Constitutional rights and the governing principles of service jurisprudence.”
The NSLF ends the release with an appeal to the State Government to “revoke/cancel the extension of Mr. T. John Longkumer and appoint the senior most eligible IPS officer from the State Cadre to the post of DGP forthwith.”
T John Longkumer, a cadre of Chhattisgarh, was brought on deputation for 3 years to the post of DGP, Nagaland on 27 June 2018, as an inter-state cadre.
Longkumer took charge as the new DGP of Nagaland on 27 June 2018 after the MHA approved his inter-cadre deputation for a period of three years on “administrative grounds.”
Even during his appointment as DGP Nagaland, many had raised questions as Longkumer did not fulfil the requisite length of 30 years of service to come under the zone of consideration to be appointed as DGP.
Upon the expiry of his three years deputation in the year 2021, the deputation of T John Longkumer was further extended from 26 June 2021 till 31 August 2022.
Subsequently, on 31 August 2022, an order from the MHA addressed to the Chief Secretary Nagaland, stated that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Home Ministry for grant of extension of service as well as inter-cadre deputation tenure of T J Longkumer, a 1991 Chhattisgarh cadre IPS officer, for a period of six months beyond his date of superannuation on 31 August 2022, in relaxation of Rule 16(1) of the AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958 in public interest, it said.
