KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday held that the requirement of the police officer to wear a uniform while on duty is to be enforced without exception.
"There have been instances where this court had to remind the police officers to appear in Court in full uniform in the course of their official duty. This Court had also directed the officers under the Motor Vehicles Department to wear uniform prescribed under Rule 406 of the Kerala Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 and the corresponding circulars to be implemented and to wear the uniform prescribed therein," observed the court.
The court directed the State Police Chief to look into the matter and issue appropriate directions to ensure that the police officers comply with the relevant statutory provisions and guidelines making it mandatory to wear the uniform while on duty except when it is permissible under law to deviate from the said mandatory requirement. The court also asked the state police chief to file an action taken report before it within four months.
The court issued the order on the petition filed by Avinash of Thrissur seeking to quash an FIR registered by Guruvayoor police for causing obstruction to an official duty of a police officer.
The court observed that the uniform of a policeman is his direct identification. A policeman in uniform is visible and a citizen immediately knows that he is a policeman which will inform that the said individual is in charge of his protection and prevention of offences.
It carries an undeniable symbolic value besides representing the State authority. The police uniform also symbolises pride, respect and authority over the citizens. The complaint stated that the petitioner threatened and swirled abuses on the police officer while he was pasting a sticker on his car which was parked near the "No Parking Board".
The petitioner argued that the police officer was in plain cloth. An inquiry by the Assistant Commissioner of police also found that there was a lapse on the part of the police which resulted in the petitioner acting against the officer, as the police officer was not in his uniform.
The petitioner submitted that he reacted and questioned the authority of the person as he was not aware of the fact that the person is a Civil Police Officer.