SC Sets Aside Allahabad HC Direction To IGP To Hold Particular Camp Sitting [Read Order]

It is not the courts' function to issue such directions, the bench observed.

The Supreme Court has set aside an Allahabad High Court that issued a slew of directions to Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) in the state, including holding of camp sitting on particular dates at particular police stations.

It is not the courts' function to issue such directions, a bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar observed while disposing of an appeal preferred by the state in this regard.

Background

The high court, on a writ petition filed by one Wasim Fatima, mother of a missing girl, had taken note of the submission that young children, especially minor girls who belong to poor and destitute families, are being kidnapped and pushed into human trafficking or prostitution/flesh trade. It was also alleged in the petition that, in spite of all efforts being made, complaints/FIRs are not being registered at both the police stations, namely Dhoomanganj and Khuldabad.

Wasim Fatima also submitted before the court that she has been running from pillar to post for the last one year and whenever she tried to contact the police personnel of the said two police stations, she was told that "tum pagal ho bhago yaha se (you are crazy, run away)".

The high court then issued some general directions like direction to the Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) to hold a camp sitting in Allahabad for three days.

The state preferred appeal before the apex court assailing this order.

Not court’s function to issue such directions

The bench, perusing the order, observed: “After going through the order of the High Court, we are of the opinion that such general directions ought not to have been issued by the High Court i.e. for sitting of the I.G. Police (Law and Order), State of U.P., Lucknow at particular police stations to hold camp sitting on particular dates; and other ancillary directions in that regard. It is not the courts' function to issue such directions.”

The court also recorded the submission by the state that, instead of IGP (Law and Order), the IG (Range), Allahabad, or/and SSP, Allahabad, shall conduct the sittings on the dates.

Read the Order Here