In what can be seen as highlighting persistent staffing gaps in the national capital’s police force, the government admitted in the Upper House that Delhi Police is facing a shortfall of over 9,200 personnel across ranks. This was stated in a written reply by the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
In a written reply to a question by Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that as on November 30, 2025, a total of 9,248 posts were lying vacant against a sanctioned strength of 92,044 personnel in the Delhi Police.
The data placed in the House shows that vacancies are spread across several operational and supervisory ranks, with the largest gaps at the constabulary and subordinate officer levels. While top leadership positions, including Commissioner of Police, Special Commissioners, Joint Commissioners and Additional Commissioners, have no vacancies, shortages are significantly lower down the hierarchy.
According to the figures presented by the MoS, 4,591 posts of constables are vacant against a sanctioned strength of 50,946. The force is also short of 3,057 head constables, 1,039 sub-inspectors, 300 assistant sub-inspectors, and 108 inspectors.
At the officer level, 125 posts of Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP) are vacant, along with 13 posts of Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP/Addl. DCP) and 15 posts under the Junior Administrative Grade.
Responding to queries on the duration of these vacancies and the timeline for filling them, the minister said that vacancies are a “dynamic process” arising due to retirements, promotions, resignations and other service-related factors. He added that filling up posts is a continuous exercise.
“The vacancies are reported to the recruiting agencies regularly, and appointments are made after completion of the recruitment process, viz., written examination, physical test and medical examination,” Rai said in his reply.
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