After finding several deficiencies in the status reports of four “test case” states in implementing the Supreme Court’s 2006 verdict on “police reforms”, a special bench, headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia made it plain to all the states that they could not “escape” putting in place the “reform model” as the court was very serious about improving the law and order as well as criminal justice system in the country.
“I want the criminal justice system to be improved. I want the system (police reforms) to be put in place,” CJI sitting in a bench with Justices Aftab Alam and K.S. Radhakrishnan told the counsel for states after the bench examined the systems put in place by four “test case” states of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The bench found the deficiencies in the implementation by the four states whose status reports were examined in the presence of their chief secretaries called personally to submit their replies.
Though Karnataka’s record was found better than the other three, yet the bench found that there were various “loop holes” left for implementation at the ground level by all.
Meanwhile, the top court asked the Centre to consider amendment in the rules regarding appointment of the DGP in all the states with a recommendation from the Union Public Service Commission as laid down in the reform order.
The Centre was further asked to consider amending the “IPS cadre rules” also to ensure the selection of a DGP for a fixed tenure of two years in every state to ensure him greater functional freedom and “insulate” him from political pressure on his day-to-day function.
Solicitor-general Gopal Subramainam was given a week’s time to come back with a response from the government on the amendment in rules on these lines.