HC directs police dept to fill 16,838 police posts by end of 2019

Bengaluru: All vacant posts in the police department should be filled by the end of this year, directed the Karnataka High Court on Friday, July 19.

The court, which was hearing suo motu public interest litigation based on directions of the Supreme Court, also asked the state government to inform it in a month as to whether any assessment has been done in relation to requirement of staff strength and adjourned the hearing to August 27.

The High Court taking note of the 16,838 posts lying vacant in the department said that this is not only shocking, but also reflects the sorry state of affairs. The finance department cannot cause hurdles in filling the vacant posts, it added.

Observing that a full-fledged police force is essential to maintain law and order, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice H T Narendra Prasad issued the direction after the state government submitted details of vacant posts in the police department.

(With inputs from The New Indian Express)