The case of deciding the hours of work of policemen has come on the Supreme Court agenda. However, the petition filed on this important issue related to the police reform could not be heard on Wednesday. Now the apex court will later decide the date of hearing of this petition.
Petition filed on demand for weekly holiday
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court on the demand of policemen to fix hours and weekly holiday. The petition said that policemen have to work from 14 hours to 18 hours daily.
They do not even get a weekly holiday, while policemen in the US and Britain have to work only 40 hours a week. The apex court has issued a notice to all the states on this petition and sought a reply.
Policemen pleaded afresh for the working hours of policemen
It is to be noted that in 2007, the Supreme Court issued important guidelines regarding police reforms. There were issues like the arrangement of separate policemen to investigate crime and handle law and order, the DGP’s two-year sure tenure to keep the police free from politics and adequate recruitment of policemen in the states. However, even after 18 years, these guidelines have not been fully implemented. This is the reason that the policemen have to plead with the Supreme Court afresh for the working hours.
Law and order in the constitution is completely the subject of the state list
The problem is that due to the law and order being completely the subject of the state list in the Constitution, the central government cannot interfere in it. It is expected that on the next date the Supreme Court will ensure hearing on priority by police reforms and will give a clear instruction to the state governments to recruit adequate police personnel and ensure their work hours.
