Cuttack, Jan. 3: The Orissa Police Association (OPA) has threatened to stage an agitation if its demand for a rollback of the state government’s decision to start direct recruitment of deputy superintendents of police (DSP) was not met by January 20.

The agitation will start from the last week of January if the state government did not fulfil their demand, the OPA decided at its central executive committee meeting here on Sunday evening. The OPA adopted a “unanimous resolution to oppose the move”.

The state government had discontinued direct recruitment of DSP to the Orissa Police Service cadre in July 1977. A recent decision by the government to revive the direct recruitment process through examination held by the Orissa Public Service Commission had triggered discontentment among OPA members.

“We are asking for a rollback of the decision,” OPA president S.N. Sharma told The Telegraph today.

“The state government should have given us a fair chance and reasonable opportunity to discuss the issue across the table before taking the decision,” he added.

The association suggested that the state government should instead expedite upgrade proposals for the posts of sub-inspectors and inspectors, especially in Naxal-infested areas and the industrial belt to fill up DSP posts.

Though the Orissa police manual says a sub-inspector should be promoted to the rank of inspector after seven years and DSP after 12 years, in present circumstances the process takes nearly 25 years, Sharma said.

Direct recruitment of DSPs would further scotch their prospects of promotion to that rank, he said.

“It’s unfortunate that our plight has been glossed over while taking the decision,” Sharma said.

“If the decision is not revoked by January 20, all members of the association will wear black badges on January 26, followed by a pen down strike. We will be forced to intensify the agitation if our demand is not addressed,” the OPA president said.

Official sources said the state government had decided to start direct recruitment of DSPs from next year. The government has already asked the Orissa Public Service Commission to finalise the recruitment policy following which the commission would conduct the Orissa Police Service examination.