Mail News Service
Jamshedpur: BJP leader and Right to Information (RTI) activist Ankit Anand has once again raised concerns over the Jharkhand government’s failure to implement the Supreme Court’s directives regarding police accountability. In a letter addressed to the Principal Secretary of the Home, Prison and Disaster Management Department, as well as to the Director General of Police (DGP), Anand has demanded the immediate formation of district-level Police Complaint Authorities across the state.
Anand cited the landmark 2006–07 Supreme Court judgment in the Prakash Singh vs Union of India case, which made it mandatory for all states to set up Police Complaint Authorities at both state and district levels. While the Jharkhand government had issued a departmental resolution in 2016 and the police headquarters circulated relevant guidelines, the district-level bodies remain non-functional to this day.
He revealed that on July 10, 2020, he had also written to the then DGP, Kolhan DIG and Jamshedpur SSP regarding this matter. However, no concrete action was taken. Anand called this continued inaction a serious violation of the Supreme Court’s orders and said it reflects poorly on the state’s commitment to justice and transparency.
He emphasized that though a state-level authority exists on paper, its directives are routinely ignored at the district level. This has led to numerous complaints of police misconduct being left unresolved and, in many cases, complainants face further harassment.
In his letter, Anand urged the government to not only form these authorities immediately but also ensure they function effectively. He requested that all district-level officers be given clear operational guidelines and asked the government to send him a copy of the action-taken report by registered post.
“This is about transparency and accountability in police administration,” Anand stated. “The question now is — will the Jharkhand government uphold the Supreme Court’s order or continue to ignore its constitutional duty?”
