VIJAYAWADA: In a significant ruling, the High Court has sharply criticised police interference in civil disputes, particularly those related to land issues, stating that they have no authority to intervene in such matters.
The HC clarified that civil disputes between individuals should be resolved through civil courts under the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) or through statutory bodies like the State Legal Services Authority, District Legal Services Authority, and Mandal Legal Services Authority.
The court emphasised that police attempts to resolve civil disputes under initiatives like the Pre-Litigation Counselling Forum (PLCF) create confusion among parties and may escalate conflicts.
The HC explicitly directed Visakhapatnam police to refrain from interfering in civil cases under any pretext.
In a related case, 74-year-old S Shyamala from Visakhapatnam’s Bay Colony approached the High Court, alleging harassment by the Visakhapatnam Commissioner of Police (CP), who repeatedly summoned her in connection with a civil land dispute. Shyamala sought court intervention to prevent police from pressuring her to resolve the dispute outside the legal framework.
During the hearing, her counsel, Vattikuti Suryanarayana, argued that Shyamala was being coerced by police under the guise of the PLCF to settle her ongoing civil dispute with Venkata Satya Naga Krishnamraju Gopalaraju and Venkata Satyanarayana Raju. The police, in response, claimed they invite parties for counselling under the PLCF to resolve disputes, but their participation is voluntary.
They stated that since Shyamala did not attend counselling, the case was closed, and neither the Visakhapatnam Commissioner of Police nor the Bheemunipatnam police had any further role.
However, Justice Lakshmana Rao condemned the police’s conduct, ruling that police have no authority to intervene in such matters or attempt to resolve them through forums like the PLCF.
The High Court also addressed similar issues in Prakasam and Palnadu districts.
In Prakasam, the Mundlamuru police were criticised for pressuring a petitioner to withdraw a civil suit filed in a civil court.
Similarly, in Palnadu, Narsaraopet police were directed to stop intimidating a petitioner into withdrawing a civil suit filed in a lower court. The court firmly instructed the police in both districts to refrain from interfering in civil disputes or pressuring parties to withdraw legal cases.