Centre can use Special Police Officers to combat insurgents: SC

NEW DELHI: In a major relief to Centre and states, the Supreme Court today clarified that they were free to use the services of Special Police Officers( SPOs) in fighting insurgent groups in the country, except in the State of Chattisgarh.

A bench of justices Altamas Kabir and S S Nijjar granted the permission in a modification application moved by the Centre, against the July 5 apex court judgement directing the Chattisgarh Government and Centre against using the services of the SPOs to combat the Maoist menace.

Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman and counsel Siddharth Dave appearing for the Union Government told the bench that the modification was necessary as "otherwise it would cause serious trouble in undertaking the anti-insurgency operations in other parts of the country, particularly, the North-East."

The counsel submitted that the order restraining the Centre from extending any form of support to the SPOs should be confined only to Chattisgarh as the PIL relating to "Salwa Judum", "Koya Commandos" was confined only to that State, and the court had not adverted to the general role of SPOs in the country.

Concurring with the arguments, the bench said it "had no objection to allow the application" of the Centre.

In its July 5 judgement, the court had directed that "The State of Chattisgarh immediately cease and desist from using SPOs in any manner or form in any activities, directly or indirectly, aimed at controlling, countering, mitigating or otherwise eliminating Maoist/Naxalite activities in the State of Chattisgarh."

It had also directed "The Union of India to cease and desist, forthwith, from using any of its funds in supporting, directly or indirectly the recruitment of SPOs for the purposes of engaging in any form of counter-insurgency activities against Maoist/Naxalite groups."