Haryana is facing a peculiar standoff between its police and prison departments, centering around disputes over uniforms and pay equity. The conflict arises from the insignia worn by jail officers, particularly the state emblem and one star placed on shoulder badges. The police department argues that these symbols misrepresent the actual rank and pay scale of prison officials.
According to police officials, these insignia traditionally denote senior roles in uniformed services, akin to that of a Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army or a Superintendent of Police. They contend that these symbols are closely linked to pay grades and rank discipline, vital for maintaining clarity and coordination among uniformed personnel, especially during joint operations.
On the other hand, jail officers believe uniforms should reflect functional rank and responsibilities rather than salary. They maintain that Superintendents of Jails are Class-I officers, wielding administrative authority similar to that of Superintendents of Police within their domains. Officials from the prison department assert that the insignia specified in the Haryana Prison Rules, 2022, align with the Model Prison Manual, 2016, which advocates for uniform and pay parity between correctional staff and their police counterparts.
The uniform guidelines were formalized in 2022, after then Director General of Prisons Mohammad Akil underscored the high-risk nature of prison duties, which involve constant interaction with hardened criminals. “Prison personnel of all ranks regularly face threats to their lives due to the nature of their responsibilities, which expose them to dangers that are often greater than those encountered by their counterparts in other departments,” Akil noted.
Following Akil’s transfer in July, his successor, Alok Kumar Roy, received a letter from Assistant Inspector General of Police Himanshu Garg, representing the Director General of Police, Shatrujeet Kapur. The letter questioned the appropriateness of the jail officers’ insignia, warning that such insignia could cause confusion and disrupt the standard rank structure across uniformed services.
The DGP’s letter emphasized that the “state emblem and one star” insignia is typically reserved for senior officers in both the armed forces and police department. “This rank is worn by officers like Lt. Colonel in the Indian Army and Superintendents of Police in the Indian Police Service, who have corresponding pay scales. These rank disciplines are crucial for ensuring parity and unity of command among uniformed forces during emergencies,” it stated.
When comparing the pay scales, the DGP highlighted that a Superintendent of Jail ranks below a Deputy Superintendent of Police. “Similarly, a Deputy Superintendent Jail is compensated at the level of a Sub-Inspector of Police. Yet, the insignia outlined in the Haryana Prison Rules, 2022, do not correspond with their pay scales in relation to those in the police department,” the letter indicated, adding that currently, jail superintendents are wearing insignia meant for police superintendents, who hold two ranks above the Deputy Superintendents.
Thus, the DGP recommended amendments to the Haryana Prison Rules, 2022. Following this recommendation, the Director General of the Prisons Department wrote to the state’s Additional Chief Secretary on August 28, proposing changes to Chapter 42 of the rules.
In response, jail officers across Haryana presented their case to the Additional Chief Secretary, urging the government not to proceed with the proposed amendments. They emphasized that uniform distinctions should be based on rank rather than pay scale. The memorandum affirmed that “the Superintendent of Prison is a Class-1 Officer and Head of Office, similar to a Superintendent of Police.”
The memorandum further referenced the Model Prison Manual, which states that correctional staff should receive salaries and allowances equal to those of equivalent ranks in the police department. It also underlined the distinctions in insignia to eliminate confusion between police and prison officials, arguing for a revamp of pay scales and career structures within the prison system to attract and retain top talent.
The state government has yet to reach a decision on this contentious matter.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/police-prison-haryana-depts-lock-horns-uniform-pay-parity-10236685/
Category: Chandigarh,Cities
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Publish Date: 2025-09-08 10:48:00
