Maharashtra: Honour held up for hundreds of police medal recipients

Frustration for many of the police officers from senior IPS officials to constables rank have peaked as recipients of the prestigious presidential medals announced between August 2022 and January 2025 are yet to receive the official conferment of the award and appreciation letterPresidential medals are regarded as the lsquopride of performancersquo within the police department But as the formal conferment processmdashcomprising the physical medal and appreciation certificatemdashremains pending and stretched into the third year for those who have been named as recipients of this prestigious award in August 2022 the frustration too has peaked for many of themLast year in June the recipients of the police medals announced on Independence Day in 2021 and Republic Day in 2022 were given the medals and certificates Then Governor of Maharashtra Ramesh Bais presented the presidentrsquos police medals for distinguished service and the presidentrsquos police medals for meritorious service to 115 police officers and personnel at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on June 6 2024But those named in the list thereafter are still awaiting their medals and certificates Admitting the delay a senior home department official explained the reasons for the backlog Speaking with midday on the condition of anonymity the officials mentioned that postCOVID there has been a delay in the distribution of awardsA senior home department official claimed the government did approach the Governor for the distribution of the awards ldquoBut there were changes at Raj Bhavan The function was kept on hold This added to the backlogrdquo the official added Besides the lockdown changes at Raj Bhavan and the 2024 state and general elections also led to further delay The medal distribution function was not held due to the code of conduct for electionsrdquo the official mentionedAsked about when the ceremony will be held the official said ldquoSoon the appointment of the Governor would be taken to conduct the ceremony All the backlog would be cleared soonrdquo the home department official added The presidential medals are given to policemen to honour exemplary service and dedication The list of recipients are announced on Independence Day August 15 and Republic Day January 26Several highprofile officers are still waiting to receive their medals Among them is Deven Bharti 1994 batch IPS currently serving as special commissioner of police Mumbai Named for the Presidentrsquos Medal for Distinguished Service in 2023 Bharti has held key posts including joint commissioner of police Law and Order in Mumbai and ADGP ATS MaharashtraAnother recipient Arti Singh 2006 batch also awaits her medal Singh who made it to Forbes Asiarsquos Power Businesswomen list for her work fighting gender bias led the SIT in the highprofile Badlapur sexual assault case and was the first female officer posted in the Naxalaffected Gadchiroli district In 2009 after 17 policemen were killed by Naxals she and her team helped recover arms and ensure peaceful elections in the regionBesides Bharti and Singh the other IPS officers in waiting are Dr Ravinder Kuamr Singal Dattatraya Karale Sunil Phulari Sanjay Darade and Virendra Mishra The president awards three types of medals for the policemenmdashthe Presidents Police Medal for Gallantry PPMG Presidents Police Medal for Distinguished Service PPM and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service PMDisillusioned by the inordinate delay one of the recipients nonIPS and junior rank officer cited that the government and administration has time for the rest of the events and functions but not for those who are on streets to maintain law and order ldquoThe delay only undermines the value of the honour Do we deserve such treatmentrdquo the recipient of the award questionedMeanwhile an IPS officer suggested that those named in January should receive the medals before August and those announced in August should get theirs before January ldquoThe recipients can proudly wear medals on their police uniform especially during national flag hoisting ceremoniesrdquo the official added The officer further suggested that since its a presidential award medals should be conferred by the lsquoRashtrapatirsquo President ldquoIf not all at least those selected for the presidents medal for distinguished services should be given at the hands of the honourable Presidentrdquo he addedatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params