In a positive development for law enforcement in Himachal Pradesh, the state’s police department is set to recruit 1,226 constables in the near future. The recruitment will include 877 male constables, 292 female constables, and 57 drivers, aiming to strengthen the force and address the significant shortage of personnel across the districts.

To move forward with the hiring process, the Police Headquarters has forwarded the proposal to the Finance Department, which has sought further details.

Considering the requirements for the next five years, the police department has sought information from all districts regarding the recruitment of constables. The pressing need to fill numerous vacant constable positions within the police force is evident, and it is believed that by doing so, the burden on existing employees will be alleviated.

This recruitment initiative comes after previous constable recruitment processes were marred by controversy. A leaked question paper raised concerns about the fairness and integrity of the selection process. It was discovered that several candidates had gained access to the solved paper before the exam, resulting in the inclusion of ineligible individuals in the final list of successful candidates. The leak came to light on May 6 when three candidates were apprehended by the Kangra police and subsequently admitted to having seen the solved paper prior to the examination.

Following accusations of mishandling the investigation, the Himachal Government authorized the transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on May 18, 2022. Prior to that decision, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been formed by the Himachal Government to look into the constable paper leak incident.