RTI reveals indiscriminate transfers of police officers on the recommendation of politicians
3 Oct, 2012On the basis of information obtained using the Right to Information (RTI) Act, it was submitted before the Karnataka High Court that indiscriminate transfers of 140 police officers have been made since 2010. The petition was filed by Akhila Karnataka Police Mahasangha which procured about 50 recommendation letters written by politicians to the former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa recommending posting of police officers at specific police stations of choice. The petitioner sought cancellation of all the transfers which were carried out on the recommendation of politician’s alonwith directions to punish those people who were responsible for the transfers of police officials.
In the 2006 judgment in the Prakash Singh case, the Apex Court had directed the state governments that the transfer / posting of the police personnel should be done through a Police Selection Board. The Supreme Court order is yet to be implemented by any of the states.
A Division bench comprising Justices Sreedhar Rao and B Manohar have directed the the Principal Secretary, Home Department, and the Director General and Inspector General of Police to file a reply.