New Delhi: Days after their CRPF and BSF counterparts took the legal recourse, about 60 ITBP officers have approached the Delhi High Court to settle their grievances on "stagnation" and "deprivation" of financial benefits.
The officers, ranging from Assistant Commandants to the Inspector General ranks, had joined the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in officer rank.
They have now become co-petitioners in the same plea which was filed by the BSF and CRPF officials sometime back.
A paramilitary force under the Home Ministry, the ITBP guards India`s strategic 3,488-km frontier along China.
"About 60 officers in various ranks have approached the Delhi High Court for the same grievances that the BSF and CRPF had recently requested the court. The matter will come up for hearing in December," sources privy to the development said.
The officials of the 50,000 personnel strong ITBP have approached the court regarding extension of the same benefits of non-functional upgradation to them (general cadre group A officers) as demanded earlier by their counterparts in BSF and CRPF.
The officers have also prayed the court that they should be categorised as members of an "organised cadre" which will ensure promotion and other service related benefits to them.
In their writ petition, the officers said these policy measures will ensure pay parity and social recognition for the personnel posted in high risk and arduous deployments.
The three paramilitary forces have one-by-one moved the court citing that if these benefits are not ensured to them, it would affect their "morale and efficiency".
The ITBP is headquartered in the national capital.
Apart from its formations along the eastern frontier of the country, the force is also deployed in Chhattisgarh to undertake anti-Naxal operations.
PTI
