SC Issues Notice On Plea Seeking 8 Hours Shift In Police Force With Weekly Offs

The Supreme Court of India has issued notice to Union Territory of Chandigarh, State of Punjab and State of Haryana in a special leave petition seeking introduction of eight hours shift in all police stations along with weekly offs.

The SLP was filed against the dismissal of the order dated 09.12.2019 passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in a PIL seeking to implement the recommendations made pursuant to a detailed study carried out by the Bureau of Police Research and Development for introducing 08 hours shift pattern system in all the Police Stations and Police Posts along with weekly offs in Chandigarh(Jagjeet Singh vs Union Territory of Chandigarh and others, SLP(c) Diary No.15169/2020).

The Petition also raises the question regarding the literal interpretation given to Section 22 of Indian Police Act, 1861 which provides that:

Every police-officer shall, for all purposes in this Act contained, be considered to be always on duty, and may, at any time, be employed as a police-officer in any part of the general police- district.

The Supreme Court was pleased to tag the matter with W.P. (c) of 1206 of 2019 titled as Vijay Gopal v Union of India and Ors. wherein similar reliefs have been sought. All the state governments are party to in the Writ Petition.

The Petitioner is represented by Dr. Sumati Jund, Advocate along with Mr. Abhinay, AoR(Partner). Mr. Utsav Trivedi, Advocate (Partner) and Ms. Pragya Wal, Advocate (Associate) of TAS LAW.