Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 29: High Court in a suo moto cognizance with regard to modernization, reformation and progression of the Police Force in Jammu and Kashmir has sought response on vacancies in the Police Department and steps taken to fill them.
The direction has been passed by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal to the plea regarding filling of the various posts in the police. Earlier, Court had asked the Advocate General to file an updated status report regarding the vacancies and the steps taken to fill them.
The AG submitted that he is possessed of the complete chart of the work done in this regard, but the court asked him to bring the said information on record by means of an affidavit submitted by a senior officer within one month.
The Division Bench on the directions of Supreme Court took cognizance of the matter and sought response with regard to modernization, reformation and progression of the Police Force in J&K.
Supreme Court in the month of March in 2019 while disposing of a writ petition titled Manish Kumar versus Union of India & Others said the issue and problems involved in the matter are State specific and can be appropriately dealt with by the respective High Courts.
The Supreme Court after having considered the matter, said, the records pertaining to each of the States including affidavits and other material be sent by the Registry to the Registry of the concerned High Courts with a request to the Chief Justice of the High Court to entertain the matter on the Judicial Side as suo-moto Public Interest Litigation and monitor the prayers made from time to time.
The petitioner had prayed before the Supreme Court to all the States and Union Territories to constitute a Police Commission to deal with allegations of police action, redressal of grievances of police and to make recommendations for the welfare of police force.
Supreme Court had directed to the States and Union Territories to fill up the vacant posts in the police and State Armed Forces so that the police forces do not remain overburdened.
The Apex Court while closing the petition and sending it to all States and Union Territories for monitoring these issues recorded that the material on record and the orders passed by the Court (Supreme Court) from time to time it appears that one of the Central issues canvassed till date is the filling up of the large number of vacancies in the different posts in the Police Forces in the States.
“In this regard detailed affidavits have been filed by a large number of States. In view of the factual matrix at some point of time it was in the contemplation of the Court that the matter be sent to High Court(s) for effective monitoring instead of this Court continuing with the present writ petition”, read the Supreme Court direction.
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