Maharashtra News: Palghar District Faces Law And Order Crisis As Over 500 Police Patil Posts Remain Vacant, Most In Tribal Areas

Palghar, Maharashtra: Palghar District is facing a significant challenge in maintaining law and order at the village level, with over 500 posts for Police Patils lying vacant. These vital positions, acting as crucial links between the community and police administrations, are empty across five sub-divisional offices in the district, leaving villages vulnerable.

Out of a total of 858 sanctioned Police Patil posts across the sub-divisional offices of Palghar, Dahanu, Jawhar, Wada, and Vasai, only 294 are currently filled. A staggering 564 positions remain vacant due to various reasons. Many of these vacancies are in PESA (Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act) areas, which are predominantly tribal.

In Palghar taluka, 95 posts are vacant, comprising 48 in Scheduled Tribe areas and 47 in non-Scheduled Tribe areas. Dahanu taluka is particularly hard hit, with 162 out of 189 posts vacant in 100% Scheduled Tribe areas, 14 out of 16 in 50% Scheduled Tribe areas, and 15 out of 16 in 25% Scheduled Tribe areas. This totals an alarming 191 vacancies out of 221 sanctioned posts in Dahanu.

Wada taluka has 147 vacancies out of 264 sanctioned posts, including 125 out of 216 in 100% Scheduled Tribe areas, 13 out of 35 in 50% Scheduled Areas, and 9 out of 13 in 25% Scheduled Areas.

In Jawhar taluka, a rural area where Police Patils traditionally played a significant role in addressing law and order issues before the police arrived, 115 out of 164 posts in 100% Scheduled Tribe areas remain vacant, increasing the burden on the police. Vasai taluka also has nearly half its posts vacant, with 16 out of 31 positions empty across its Scheduled Tribe areas.

The Critical Role of Police Patils

Police Patils are instrumental in maintaining peace and order at the village level, assisting the police in investigations, and serving as a bridge between the administration and local residents. Their appointments are made by Sub-Divisional Magistrates/Officers.

However, the large number of vacancies has severely impacted these crucial functions, hindering essential cooperation from villages for both police and revenue departments.

The delay in filling these posts, especially in Scheduled Areas, is attributed to a stay on recruitment by the Supreme Court in a petition concerning direct service recruitment in PESA areas.

Although the State Government's Home Department directed the District Collector in October 2024 to fill these positions, and a subsequent letter from the Palghar District Administration's Home Department instructed sub-divisional officers to fill Police Patil posts in Scheduled Areas on an honorarium basis, the recruitment has been pending for an entire year.

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Police Patils are also vital for village development, helping to disseminate government decisions and schemes to the public and relaying public grievances to the administration. With over 500 posts vacant, an equivalent number of villages are struggling with law and order issues and a lack of coordination with the administration.