Vacancies and recruitment in police force: Gauhati HC to periodically monitor Assam, 3 other States

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has indicated that in accordance with an order passed by the Supreme Court, it will periodically monitor the number of vacancies and appointments in the police forces of Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. Consequently, the court has directed all these four States to file fresh affidavits stating the latest position regarding vacancies and appointments in their respective police forces.

The court issued the directive during hearing of a suo moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 2/2019), which emanated from an order passed by a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on March 11, 2019. The apex court has stated inter alia in the relevant order: "From the material on record and the orders passed by this 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. Issue and problems are State specific and can be appropriately dealt with by the respective High Courts.

"Having considered the matter, we are of the view that the records pertaining to each of the States including affidavits etc., be sent by the Supreme Court Registry to the Registry of the concerned High Courts with a request to Hon'ble 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."

It may be mentioned that all four States concerned had earlier submitted data to the High Court regarding vacancies and appointments in their respective police forces. While Assam filed its earlier affidavit in this context on December 22, 2020, Nagaland filed its affidavit on December 11, 2020, Mizoram filed its affidavit on February 12, 2020 and Arunachal Pradesh filed its affidavit on March 12, 2021.

Hearing of the matter in the High Court will resume in the last week of this month.

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