No need to spend public funds on politicians’ protection: HC

THE BOMBAY HC WAS IRKED TO NOTE THAT POLICE PROTECTION WAS PROVIDED FREE OF COST TO PEOPLE WHO COULD AFFORD TO PAY THE DUES TO GOVT

Political parties are capable of taking care of their leaders and there is no need for the state government to spend public funds on providing police protection to them, the Bombay high court said on Friday.

“Why tax-payer’s money is to be spent on former members of the legislature and their relatives,” said the division bench of chief justice Manjula Chellur and justice Girish Kulkarni. “It appears that you are providing police protection to certain people only because they have affiliation to certain political parties.”

Referring to the list of persons whom police protection is provided across Maharashtra, the court told government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani, “Let them or their political parties take care of them and their relatives. It can’t be that their burden is shifted on the state exchequer.”

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ashok Udayvar and Sunny Punamiya, raising concern about huge outstanding dues from individuals to whom police protection is provided. According to a chart submitted by the state, in all 1,034 individuals, including 242 from Mumbai, have been provided police protection across Maharashtra and an average four police personnel are deployed per person for protection duties.

The list includes 482 people who are not constitutional functionaries such as elected representatives, bureaucrats and judges of HC and lower courts.

The bench was also irked to note that police protection was being provided free of cost to people who can easily afford to pay the requisite dues to the government. “You have categories under which some people are paying and others are not,” said the bench. “This reflects complete non-application of mind.”

Expressing the need to review the entire list, the bench said it was also essential to review the decision as regards certain nonpayment categories.

During the course of the hearing, Vagyani informed the court that out of total outstanding dues towards police protection (₹21 crore in Mumbai), the department has recovered ₹15 crore, and the balance was under recovery. In other parts of the state, dues of ₹6.85 crore are outstanding from the people who have been provided police protection.

Vagyani also assured the court that the higher officials from the police and home department will review the list and also take a relook at the entire scheme. He informed the bench that the department has already taken a decision to not provide police protection to private individuals unless they deposit a certain amount in advance.