Patna, Oct 21 (IANS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the Home Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) to expedite the recruitment process in the Police Department on Monday.

During an event in Patna's Bapu Sabhagar, the Chief Minister also distributed appointment letters to 1,239 sub-inspectors while Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary also addressed the newly appointed sub-inspectors.

Kumar emphasised the need to complete recruitment swiftly, especially with state elections set to take place next year. He also highlighted the goal of increasing the representation of women in the police force to 35 per cent and stressed the importance of appointing a total of 229,000 people in the department.

Nitish Kumar has reiterated his call for quick reinstatement of police personnel and officers, urging the Home Secretary to ensure that all appointments are completed before the upcoming assembly elections.

He also made an impassioned appeal to speed up the process, noting that around 125,000 police posts are still vacant across various levels in the state.

Bihar DGP Alok Raj assured the Chief Minister that recruitment would be expedited, and the police force would continue to work with integrity.

Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has also urged the police officials to take strong action against criminal elements, specifically targeting the liquor mafia, sand mafia, and land mafia, emphasising that they "should not be spared" and must be "finished off."

The media was not allowed to enter the venue, but the program was streamed live by the Home Department to ensure public access.

This event highlights the government's focus on bolstering law enforcement and maintaining law and order ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar.