SC may form monitoring committee for police reforms

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday indicated that it may order for the constitution of a judicial monitoring committee to ensure effective and speedy implementation of its directives on police reforms in the country. The apex court expressed its serious displeasure on government���s dilly-dallying with its order on police reforms and coming up with the plea seeking constitution of a committee under the director-general, Bureau of Police Research and Development to hold discussions with states and Union Territories on police reforms while reserving its verdict on the matter.

A bench comprising Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, Justice RV Raveendran and Justice MK Sharma said, ���you (Centre) are sitting over the judgment. For so many times you took the adjournments. Now you have come up with such a suggestion. All these will put the matter in a maze���. Justice Raveendran speaking on behalf of the bench said, ���we can understand when such a suggestion was made before passing of the judgment. But it is being put after passing of the order. Is a committee to examine the judgment of this court���?

Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium appearing for Centre said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has proposed to constitute a four-member committee to hold discussions with states and UTs to analyse the issues involved on implementing the order on police reforms. The court reserved its verdict on an application moved by former DGP of Uttar Pradesh Prakash Singh seeking constitution of a monitoring committee to supervise the effective implementation of apex court order passed on September 22, 2006 on police reforms.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for petitioner sought constitution of such a monitoring committee headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court. The court asked the government to consider the possibility of constitution of a judicial monitoring committee. ���You find out such a possibility��� said court expressing its reservation on centre���s plea.