Kerala High Court Asks State If There Is Any Order/ Circular Regulating Conduct Of Police Officers In Court Premises

“...we feel it necessary to direct the 1^st and 2^nd respondents to make available before this Court all such orders, circulars, office memorandums if any that have been issued to the police officials informing them of the conduct that they have to adhere to attending to proceedings before the various courts and other judicial authorities in the State. The copies of all such Government Orders/ circulars/guidelines/ office memorandum shall be made available before this Court by the next date of hearing”, the Court ordered.

It further, orally observed that if there are no guidelines at present, it might have to direct the State to issue such guidelines.

The Division Bench of Justice A. K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice K. V. Jayakumar made this observation while considering a suo motu petition initiated after a letter was submitted by the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association regarding an alleged attack on a lwayer by a police officer in the premises of Ramankary Magistrate Court, Alappuzha.

The Court observed that though they are unable to decipher the facts from the versions submitted before it by the lawyers and police, there is reason to believe from the increased number of such incidents that altercations have been taking place between the members of legal fraternity and the Police authority within court premises.

The Court had earlier indicated that it may issue guidelines to be followed by police officials while interacting with lawyers, judges, staffs of various courts in the state.

The matter is next listed on December 04.

Case Title: Suo Motu v State of Kerala

Case Number: WPC 32952/2024