HC: Put up Boards on Complaints Authority in All Police Stations

He also ordered the chief secretary to take steps to spread awareness through electronic and print media.
HC: Put up Boards on Complaints Authority in All Police Stations

BENGALURU:The High Court on Thursday directed the state government to ensure that all police stations put up display boards with details of the State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA).

This was one of the several measures suggested by the High Court to popularise SPCA. The notice boards should display the particulars of the SPCA and of the officials to be approached for grievance redressal. It should also list their telephone numbers, Justice A N Venugopala Gowda said.

“The state government should also include the particulars of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) for free legal aid. The information should also be with reference to the district authorities,” Justice Gowda ordered.

Taking the state government, the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission and the Legal Services Authority to task for not complying with the court’s order to popularise SPCA, Justice Gowda directed the chief secretary to submit a comprehensive report by September 30. 

During the hearing of a petition, Justice Gowda directed the chief secretary to take adequate measures, without any further delay, to create legal awareness among citizens regarding the establishment of SPCA at the state and district levels.

He also ordered the chief secretary to take steps to spread awareness through electronic and print media.

The Legal Services Authority should ensure that all district and taluk legal services committees organise meetings of judicial officers, police authorities and human rights activists on matters related to legal services and SPCA.

Taking serious exception to the lack of response to directions issued on June 17, Justice Gowda ordered the Human Rights Commission to ensure cooperation in the matter of popularising the SPCA.

Justice Gowda was hearing a petition filed by G K Adarsh, general secretary, Human Rights Defenders’ Forum. Adarsh had challenged the nomination of Dr Sudarshan Ballal as member of the State Police Complaints Authority in July last year. The nomination has been stayed by the court.

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