THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 11 posts of police officers in Crime Branch are being terminated to create legal advisory posts on the model of CBI, NIA and Vigilance.

Two Assistant Sub-Inspectors, four Senior Civil Police Officers and five Civil Police Officers will be terminated. Instead, the Home Department has created the posts of Deputy Legal Advisor at the Crime Branch Headquarters and Assistant Legal Advisor posts at the IGP Crime Branch Offices in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode ranges.

The state police chief submitted the recommendation to the government after assessing that in many cases, including POCSO handled by the crime branch, it was dropped at an early stage without adequate legal scrutiny.

However, while there are district pleaders in all 14 districts and additional pleaders and district special public prosecutors under them for legal scrutiny, it has been alleged that the abolition of the post of police officers and the creation of the post of legal advisor is unnecessary. There are 137 senior govt. pleaders at the high court.

The eligibility criteria for deputy and assistant legal advisor are also criticized. The minimum qualification for the post of deputy is LLB and seven years experience in criminal court advocacy. The position of Assistant Legal Advisor requires LLB and five years of experience in criminal court advocacy. Work experience of assisting a special public prosecutor is an additional qualification. Both the posts will be filled through PSC or through deputation from the law secretariat or the central service.

In the case of the law secretariat, 50 percent are recruited through PSCs and 50 percent through promotions from typist, peon and similar posts. The only requirement for the 50 percent to be recruited through the PSC is that they should be enrolled as qualified lawyers. No bar practice is required.

Those who are appointed to the new post in the Crime Branch through deputation may face practical difficulties in conducting adequate scrutiny of criminal cases due to lack of legal experience. In this case, the goal of creating a legal adviser position will be lost.