The home secretaries of all states have been directed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday to file affidavits giving particulars of vacancies in police services at all levels. Led by chief justice J S Khehar, the bench observed that the vacancy in police services was an “important issue.”
The Apex Court gave the time period of four weeks to the states to file the affidavits.
The bench that also included Justices N V Ramana and D Y Chandrachud said that if any of the states fails to file the affidavit, it would “ensure the presence of Home Secretaries along with necessary records to assist the court in disposal of the matter”.
“In view of the importance of the issue, we require Home Secretaries of all the state governments to file affidavits in this court depicting the necessary position. In order to ensure compliance of the order, we hereby direct respondent number one (Centre) to communicate the instant order to the Home Secretaries of all the state governments within one week,” said the bench.
The SC was hearing a petition that claimed that law and order situation in the nation is worsening as a large number of posts are vacant in police services at all levels across all states. As per the petitioner there were around 5.42 lakh vacancies in police services across the country.
