HC: WHY IS COP COMPLAINT PANEL NOT WORKING YET?

Bombay high court on Tuesday censured the state government over the State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA), which is yet to start functioning since it was set up two month ago.

SPCAS are meant to look into complaints against police personnel to prevent abuse of power. The Supreme Court had called for their formation 10 years ago. Though Maharashtra was the first to constitute an SPCA, it is yet to begin work.

“For the past two years, you are citing one reason or the other,” said court. “There is no staff, no rules of business and no complaints,” the court said, expressing its anguish over the delay.

“Your officers appear very casual and callous about it,” the judges told assistant public prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh. “We are very sorry to say, but your officers have taken this very lightly,” they added.

Insisting that the state authority start work soon, the bench asked the joint secretary of the home department to be present in court on April 13, when the matter will be heard next.

Two months ago, Maharashtra appointed its SPCA under the chairmanship of Justice AV Potdar, a retired high court judge.

The state earmarked a 5,980sq-ft space in south Mumbai for the authority.

The government had earlier told the court that spaces had also been allotted for offices at Nasik Nagpur and Auranga