The retired chief of the UP Police and BSF,Prakash Singh,on Monday moved an application before the Supreme Court challenging executive interference by the Maharashtra home department in police transfers and postings,and the resultant erosion in the authority of the state DGP. The application was moved before a bench led by Justice G S Singhvi which is currently assessing the status of the directives on police reforms that the apex court had laid down in September 2006. Singh said his application would be taken up on May 9. I have challenged the home departments order. If the DGP needs to authorise security then he has to have full control of his force. The home department interfering in transfers and promotions goes against the Supreme Court directives, Singh said. He said he had decided to move the court after learning that the Maharashtra home department had taken over the power to transfer and promote police personnel. In no other state does this happen, Singh said. What is happening in Maharashtra is against the tenets of administration and rule of law. Singh said the Transfer Act is itself unconstitutional and we will inform the court. Home Minister R R Patils move,he said,reduces the DGPs post to a non-entity. Singh said that counsel for Maharashtra had informed the court that the State Security Commission had not met for a full year. In 2006,the SC had directed all states to set up the commissions to ensure that the state government did not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure over the police.
