In a significant development, 75 senior police inspectors from across Maharashtra, who were included in the promotion list for the post of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), have declined the promotion. As a result, the Maharashtra Police Headquarters has initiated disciplinary action against them.
The Director General of Police (DGP) office has issued an order seeking detailed reports on the action taken against these officers so far. The move follows directives from the Home Department which had announced two promotion lists between 2022 and 2024 for the elevation of inspectors to the ACP rank.
Over 500 police inspectors have been promoted to the post of ACP in the past two years, and in 2025, an additional 215 inspectors were included in the promotion list. However, it was observed by the DGP’s office that many officers showed reluctance to accept the promotion to the ACP or Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) posts.
Sources reveal that some officers, despite having a considerable period of service left before retirement, are deliberately declining promotions. Many cite departmental inquiries, adverse remarks in service records, or pending notices as reasons to avoid accepting the new roles. In some cases, officers reportedly submit this information to the DGP office as a basis to officially turn down the promotion.
Another notable reason is the preference for their current roles, particularly the position of 'Police Station In-charge', which is widely regarded as a 'cream posting' in police circles. This has led to several officers intentionally avoiding higher administrative positions.
Out of the 75 inspectors who declined promotions, the highest number—24—belong to the Mumbai Police force. They are followed by nine officers from Thane and Pune each, four from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), and four from Pimpri-Chinchwad, among others from various districts.
These officers had assumed that rejecting promotion would bear no consequences, but with the DGP office now demanding an action-taken report as of Tuesday, panic has spread among the officials. Disciplinary proceedings are now likely to be initiated against all the officers who declined the promotions.