The government has promoted 235 additional superintendents of police to superintendents of police.

Of them, 230 were promoted to as many supernumerary or in-situ posts created recently amid police officers' demands for promotion. The rest were promoted to regular posts.

Dhananjoy Kumar Das, deputy secretary of the public security division of the home ministry, issued separate circulars in this regard on Wednesday night. 

Read more: Police want 'polls treat'

The promotions came a day after four deputy inspectors general were promoted to additional inspectors general of police and 13 additional DIGs to DIGs.

On July 4, the police headquarters sent a proposal to the home ministry for promoting 495 superintendents to additional inspectors general of police.

Since no post is currently vacant in the department's top tier, the police headquarters came up with a British-era formula for promotions.

A supernumerary official is someone who continues to hold the same office and perform the same duties despite being promoted to a higher position.

The PHQ proposal stated that “competent officers” had been serving in the same post for years as suitable posts were not created at the upper tier of police.

The shortage of posts is a big obstacle to ensuring enthusiasm, morale, dignity, discipline and dynamism in the force, the proposal said.