M A I N   N E W S

SC dismisses Virk’s PIL
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, July 16
The Supreme Court today dismissed a PIL filed by former Punjab Police chief SS Virk seeking implementation of the court’s directive for providing a minimum of two-year tenure for Director Generals of Police (DGPs).

A Bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam and RM Lodha said the SC was reconsidering its 2007 verdict on the minimum tenure for state police chiefs in the wake of petitions filed by the Centre and some states seeking clarifications.

The Bench said the apex court had appointed a three-member committee, headed by former SC Judge KT Thomas, to go into the issue in detail in the light of the difficulties in implementing the order. Allowing the police chiefs to continue for two years would deny senior police officials their chance to head the police force, the Centre and the states had contended.

Senior counsel Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for Virk, said the PIL was not aimed at prolonging the tenure of his client who retired as DGP of Maharashtra in October last year after holding the post only for a few months. He wanted the implementation of the apex court order as it would enable the DGPs to function better.