Police reforms: Supreme Court imposes Rs 5 lakh cost on Maharashtra government

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today imposed an exemplary cost of Rs five lakh on Maharashtra government for delay in filing its affidavit relating to compliance of apex court's directions on police reforms and constituting State Security Commission(SSC).

The apex court said some of the state governments are taking its directions "very lightly" and it has become a habit for them to file affidavits late.

It said there was a direction for Chief Secretaries of Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Goa to file affidavits by May 3 in this matter.

"Maharashtra government filed the affidavit today and its counsel has given different explanation and submission for delay in filing the affidavit and non-compliance of its directions by bureaucrats. For this delay in filing affidavit, we are imposing a cost of Rs five lakh," a bench comprising justices G S Singhvi, Ranjana Prakash Desai and Sharad Arvind Bobde said.

The court directed that the amount has to be deposited with the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee within four weeks.

The court made it clear that it was not for state governments to extend the time of filing affidavits suo motu.