KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the state government and the Controller of Legal Metrology to ensure that Assistant Collectors, Senior Inspectors, Inspectors and officers of Legal Metrology Department wear uniform while on duty either in office or in the field as prescribed by Rule 21 of the Kerala Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules, 2012.
The court held that the Controller of Legal Metrology is obliged to enforce the Rules and if there is any violation, disciplinary action should be taken against them. In case of any physical handicap, the Controller of Legal Metrology shall have ample power to grant necessary relaxation as being deemed fit and proper. The Bench also held that the officer of the Legal Metrology Department should report instances of not wearing uniform to the Controller of Legal Metrology.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A M Shaffique issued the order on the petition filed by Kerala High Court lawyer Vincent Panikulangara seeking a directive to implement the order and several circulars of the state government on wearing of uniform by inspectors and other officers. The Department of Legal Metrology has 31 assistant controllers, 14 senior inspectors and 127 inspectors, who are required to wear uniform. Each Revenue District in the State is under an assistant controller and has a flying squad under an assistant controller, the petitioner pointed out.
Even after more than 48 years of enforcement of the rules, it was not implemented by the state government and no action has been taken against the officers who are not wearing uniform.
Senior Government Pleader C R Syamkumar submitted that the state had issued appropriate instructions to the inspectors and other officers to wear uniform and the state is enforcing the rules and circulars. He also submitted that no specific instance has been pointed out where officers are not wearing uniform.