A medal is conferred in recognition of outstanding services. It is not awarded to all officials involved in operations: The High Court
Dismissing an Indian Police Services (IPS) officer's plea to be "reconsidered" for the President's Police Medal for Gallantry, the Delhi High Court ruled last month that "a medal is not the inherent right of an officer".
IPS officer Boppudi Naga Ramesh of West Bengal cadre, 1988 batch, had filed the plea after he lost out on the medal in 2011. According to the petition, Ramesh was awarded the Parakaram Medal for showing exemplary bravery in course of operations in Tral, Kashmir, in 2011, while serving as the IG, Operations. Director General of Police, J&K, KD Khuda then recommended his name for the grant of President's Award.
A Bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Anil Kumar Chawla, however, did not find merit in the petition and said a medal was conferred in recognition of outstanding services and not for just being involved in the operations. "No officer can have an inherent right to a medal. A medal is conferred in recognition of outstanding services. It is not awarded to all officials involved in operations," the High Court ruled.
Ramesh's petition had stated: "The then Home Secretary to the J&K government, BL Sharma, accepted the recommendation and forwarded it to Anirudh Uppal, IPS, Special Director General of CRPF, J&K zone. Unfortunately, the petitioner was not awarded the President's Police medal for gallantry."
Speaking for Ramesh, his counsel Sanjay Jain said: " My client has received seven awards till late. He is now serving as the Additional DG, Human Rights Commission of West Bengal, and still has six years of service left. His name was recommended but other officers were awarded. We are going to file a review petition."
Jain, highlighted various feats achieved by his client during his operations in Tral while he was serving as the IG (Operations), Kashmir and had helped the local youths to get training in CRPF but his contribution went unrecognised. Ramesh, who did B Tech, MBA from IIM, Calcutta, and PhD from IIT Kharagpur, has received the Parakaram Medal.
The court stated: "Parakaram Medal and President Police Medal are not one. The petitioner's case was considered by the Central Police Awarding Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs but he was not selected."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "DNA")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}