Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Jan 24: A major impediment in re-organization and expansion of State Forensic Science Laboratory for speedy disposal of case has been cleared as the State Government today issued SRO on Gazetted Service Recruitment Rules in the FSL.
The Department of Home today issued SRO-12 governing Gazetted Service Recruitment Rules in the State FSL after more than 46 years of creation of the Forensic Lab unit, official sources informed the Excelsior.
Issuance of the SRO has cleared decks for promotion of officers, fresh recruitment at gazetted level and expansion of the FSL for speedy disposal of cases, the number of which has multiplied more than 20 times in recent years, sources explained.
Established in 1967, the State Forensic Science Laboratory is a unit of Jammu Kashmir Home Department and is headed by a Director of the rank of IAS/IPS. Presently there are six positions of Deputy Director, 12 Scientific Officers, 32 Assistant Scientific Officers, and etc in the FSL set up.
However, owing to no Gazetted Service Recruitment rules in the FSL till issuance of the SRO -12, all the six positions of Deputy Director are so far lying vacant while Section Officers have been working against the post of Scientific Officers on charge allowance, sources said.
On the other hand, the work load has increased manifold during the last few years forcing overtime working by the available officers. Even as the number of cases for forensic investigation increased more than 20 times, there was no augmentation of the staff ever since the FSL came into existence.
Now, with the issuance of SRO-12, decks have been cleared for regularization of 12 Section Officers as Scientific Officers and their further promotion as Deputy Director after three years of their confirmation as Gazetted Officer, sources explained.
Besides, sources added, the Home Department has already approved creation of six more positions of the Deputy Director in the FSL and a formal recommendation in this regard is likely to be cleared by the Finance Department soon.
The creation of six more positions of Deputy Director will not only ensure adjustment of 12 promoted Scientific Officers but also fresh recruitment of 14 new Assistant Scientific Officers in the FSL.
When contacted, Director State FSL Inayat Khan, who is credited with conducting eight DPCs in the last two years and initiating a proposal on augmentation of the staff, confirmed that issuance of SRO-12 has cleared major hurdle in promotions, fresh recruitment at Gazetted level and consequent expansion of the FSL.
Pertinent to mention here that the major aspect of the FSL expansion move is creation of 99 new posts of officers and officials, who include six positions of Deputy Director, 12 Scientific Officers, 12 Assistant Scientific Officers and 24 Lab Assistants.
The State Home Ministry has submitted details of the financial implications for the proposed expansion to the Finance Department over the move. A formal proposal for the expansion and augmentation of the staff was submitted by the FSL Director last year.
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