LALITA KUMARI Vs. GOVERNMENT OF U. P.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By order dated 14th July, 2008, we issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of all the States and Union Territories and Director Generals of Police/Commissioners of Police, as the case may be, to show cause as to why the directions enumerated therein be not given by this Court. Notices were sent to the aforesaid authorities by the Supreme Court Registry by fax and it was mentioned in the notices that the order has been put on the website of the Supreme Court of India so that they may file responses without loss of time. The order was put on the website of the Supreme Court of India, as directed by this Court.

(2.) It appears that notices have been served upon the Chief Secretaries of all the States and Union Territories and all the Director Generals of Police/Commissioners of Police, as the case may be, but, in spite of that, it is pathetic state of affairs that only two States, viz., States of Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh, have responded and the other States did not bother to file their responses. Some of them have simply engaged their counsel, who are appearing in court, and, as usual, they have made prayer for time to file responses.

(3.) In spite of the order passed on 14th July, 2008, that we intend to give certain directions enumerated therein, it is unfortunate that neither the Director Generals of Police/Commissioners of Police, as the case may be, nor the Superintendents of Police has taken any steps by giving suitable directions to the officers in-charge of the police stations. In view of this, we direct the Chief Secretaries of all the States and Union Territories and Director Generals of Police/Commissioners of Police, as the case may be, to see that the police officers posted in every police station throughout the country should act in accordance with the order dated 14th July, 2008, treating the proposed directions therein given by this Court to be the interim ones and, in case there is any failure on the part of any police officer, the concerned authority shall take immediate action against that officer.