Bhubaneswar: The Odisha High Court on Tuesday directed the State Government to regularise the services of at least 773 police constables in proper cadre, who were appointed as ad hoc constables in the year 2006.

This ruling came from a Division Bench of Justices BP Das and BP Nayak after adjudicating over a batch of writ petitions filed by the disgruntled constables. It may be mentioned here that these constables were given ad hoc appointments following an earlier direction of the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).

These 773 selected constables belonging to reserved categories had missed the regular cadre when there was cap on the reserved posts limiting it to 50 per cent in 2006. Subsequently, following a direction from the tribunal, the State Government had given them appointments on ad hoc basis.