CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed the Director-General of Police (DGP) to file an affidavit on alleged inaction against violation of helmet rules by BJD workers during the demonstration-cum-motorcycle rally in Bhubaneswar on December 26.
The Court was hearing a PIL on police reforms. The division bench of Chief Justice KS Jhaveri and Justice KR Mohapatra issued the direction after Amicus Curiae appointed in the case submitted a report.
The Court expected the DGP to submit his affidavit by January 20, the date fixed for next hearing on the PIL. The High Court had suo-motu registered the PIL in pursuance of a Supreme Court direction issued on March 11, 2019.
In his report, Amicus Curiae Goutam Mukherjee alleged that, “All rules were thrown to the wind in the rally. Majority of the bike riders did not wear helmet. The State Police instead of apprehending them, gave protection to the members of the rally.”
“On the contrary, the police have been day in and out collecting lakhs of rupees from the common citizens for riding two-wheelers without wearing helmet. This biased and apathetic attitude of the police needs immediate reformation,” the report stated. Taking note of the report, the Court also directed Odisha Government to file by January 20 an affidavit indicating the number of demonstrations, hartals, bandhs etc organised in the State between March 16, 2013 and December 31, 2019.
The Court expected the Government to give in the affidavit details of action taken on the demonstrations, hartals, bandhs etc that turned violent and caused damage to public and private property.
In his report, the Amicus Curiae said he will file a report shortly on the affidavits which the Government and Staff Selection Commission had filed indicating the steps to be taken for filling up of vacancies in State Police.
The report was filed taking into consideration the scope of the case on which the Supreme Court had issued the direction.
The scope of the case included ensuring welfare of police force, filling up vacant posts in the police and State armed force, regular training of police force, fixing of working hours of police and implementation of guidelines of Supreme Court related to destruction of public property and violation of statutory rules during agitations, demonstrations and hartals.