SC refuses to hear fresh plea on police reforms

The Supreme Court today refused to entertain a plea seeking a direction to the Centre, state governments and the Law Commission for implementation of police reforms and the Model Police Act.
A bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice D Y Chandrachud asked lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, who filed the PIL, to take back his plea and file an application in a case which is pending adjudication before it for quite some time.
"No need to issue notices to Union of India and State Governments once again as they have already filed their replies on this matter. Matter is pending before three judge's bench. It's better to file interlocutory application in Prakash Singh case," the bench said.

Upadhyay, who is also spokesperson of Delhi BJP, had sought a direction to authorities concerned to implement the Act saying it is essential to have an "effective and impartial police system".
"That arbitrary and unaccountable functioning of the police has led to complete alienation of many citizens from the State. Complete politicisation of the police force has led to highly partisan crime investigation.
"State governments have been habitually abusing their powers to drop serious criminal charges against their supporters and foist false cases against their opponents," the plea had said.
The BJP leader also said it is the constitutional obligation of the state to provide impartial police service to safeguard vulnerable sections of the society including the economically weaker section and below poverty line families.

The plea had sought direction for setting up of State Police Board under the chairmanship of the State Home Minister and comprising the Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary and the Director General of Police among others to lay down policy guidelines for efficient policing.