Amid the ongoing protest by the civil defence volunteers posted as bus marshals, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday cleared the enrolment of more than 10,285 new Home Guard personnel to be appointed as bus marshals in all DTC and cluster bus services. Saxena has also issued directions to give preference by way of 10 extra marks to experienced CDVs during the selection process as they already have worked as bus marshals in public transport. Stressing the need for an open, fair and transparent selection process, he also gave the nod for an emolument of Rs 25,000 every month for the Home Guards.
Giving details, officials said here, Saxena also okayed the proposal for giving 10 bonus points to ex-Civil Defence Volunteers(CDVs). Saxena also directed that the age limit for enrolment into Home Guards be brought down to 45 years from the existing 60 years, in line with the maximum age limit in other States and to ensure that the personnel enrolled served the purpose of acting as auxiliary to the regular police force.
Moreover, the minimum qualification has also been raised from Class-X to Class-XII in line with the required minimum qualification for appointment of constables in Delhi Police.
Nearly 15 teams comprising a senior officer each of the district administration, Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will serve as the Board to assess the physical efficiency of the candidates, who have applied at 10 locations. This will ensure that the selection and screening process is completed with speed. To ensure transparency, this entire process will be videographed through CCTV cameras installed at all the locations.
Once the candidates clear the physical efficiency test, they will become eligible for the Computer-based Entrance Test (CBT). The enrolment process is expected to begin soon with the issuance of advertisement and the Physical Measurement and Efficiency Test (PMET) will begin in the first week of February, 2024. The CBT, following the PMET will be completed thereafter and the final results will be out by March, 2024.
The discontinuing the services of CDV have become a major issue between the AAP Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor’s office.
While the AAP government claimed this arrangement was Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s idea, Raj Niwas claimed that L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena had mooted it after receiving a proposal to discontinue the CDV service from November 1.
Delhi government sources said it would take the discontinuance of the services of CDVs to the Supreme Court; L-G House sources responded saying that this would essentially entail the AAP government dragging the CM himself into litigation. The government stated that the CM had sought prompt formulation of plans in this regard and separately proposed to the L-G to appoint them as Home Guards - which L-G House officials contended.
According to the latter, it was the CM who had proposed the termination of the services of CDVs with effect from November 1 this year.
