Speed up appointments to Police Complaints Authority: HC

The Bombay High Court today asked Maharashtra government to expedite the process to fill up vacancies in the Police Complaints Authority, set up at the state and district level, and make it functional.
A division bench of Justices N H Patil and Anuja Prabhudessai was hearing a public interest litigation by one Makarand Mahadik seeking implementation of a 2006 Supreme Court order directing all states to constitute a police complaints authority to redress grievance of citizens about abuse of power by police including that of corruption and negligence.
According to the petition, a government resolution (GR) has also been issued directing for constitution of the authority but no further steps have been taken.

Additional public prosecutor Aruna Kamat-Pai today informed the court that on February 1, an ordinance was passed making amendments in the Maharashtra Police Act and setting up of the Police Complaints Authority.
"Appointments to the panel and other steps towards its set up will be done shortly," she said.
"You (state government) cannot simply say an ordinance has been issued. The main question is when will the authority start functioning? When will you fill up the vacancies and make the panel functional? The state has to take effective steps towards arranging infrastructure and appointing officers and other staff in the authority," the court said.

The court has posted the petition for hearing after four weeks.