PIL urges HC to ask state to appoint police commissioner soon

Alleging that morale of the police force was down as the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner is vacant since February 1 following the resignation of Satyapal Singh, a public interest litigation today urged the Bombay High Court to ask the Maharashtra government to appoint the new person immediately.
The PIL would come up for hearing on February 10 before the bench headed by Justice P V Hardas.
Singh resigned last week, to join the politics.
The PIL refers to media reports that the new commissioner has not been appointed yet because of differences between the ruling alliance partners Congress and NCP.

Petitioner Ketan Tirodkar has stated that both Congress and NCP were trying to push minority community candidates.
If such appointments were made for political considerations, then the people will have to pay a heavy price, the PIL says.
It also seeks an affidavit from the state, stating reasons for dropping a post of Director General of Police in 2012-13 and allowing Satyapal Singh to continue as Mumbai Police Commissioner while denying him a promotion as a DGP.
The PIL also seeks a direction to the state government to submit minutes of meetings held since January 31 to decide on the commissioner and furnish list of eligible candidates to the court.