It is no secret that the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations have pleased no one. IPS officers are now at loggerheads with IAS officers over the pay scale. The 13-member committee appointed by the Cabinet Secretary has 10 IAS officers and the report has been drafted solely by IAS officers, and police officers believe they will get a raw deal compared with bureaucrats, as the pay will be fixed on recommendations made by only IAS men.

The officers' war may just escalate after the final report on the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations is submitted.

Former CBI director, Jogendra Singh says, "I do not place any credence to this kind of a committee because it is only to whitewash the sins committed by the Pay Commission and then when it suits them, they will get it passed."

According to a memorandum submitted by the IPS Association, the Sixth Pay Commission has been heavily partial to their counterpart. While in the first year of service, the pay structure remains the same, the difference in pay increases progressively. By the 17th year of service, the difference rises to over Rs 17,000 a month.

YR OF SERVICE	IPS	IAS	DIFFERENCE
First	Rs 21,000	Rs 21,000	Nil
Fourth	Rs 23,320	Rs Rs 23,720	Rs Rs 400
Fourteenth	Rs 32,240	Rs 48,200	Rs Rs 15,960
Seventeenth	Rs 34,730	Rs 51,920	Rs 17,190

However, the men in khaki are lobbying hard in political circles. Nearly a dozen Chief Ministers have already shot off letters in their support to the Prime Minister's Office as well as the Home Ministry.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, YSR Reddy says, "IPS officers do work under extreme and difficult circumstances so it is always necessary that they be properly rewarded. I personally spoke to the Prime Minister and he also did agree with my point of view."

It's a faceoff between the two pillars of the country's bureaucratic steel frame and it has got top political leaders in the country - including chief ministers - involved. It's now upto the Government to end this fight for prestige between the two most prestigious services.