SC refuses to consider PIL against salary cut, lack of facilities for police in COVID-19 fight

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to consider a PIL by former Maharashtra police, ACP Bhanupratap Barge against salary cut, and lack of Personal Protection Equipments for police personnel who were on the frontline in the fight against Coronavirus.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B R Gavai said these were all policy matters. The court can't issue a direction to the government, it is for the government to consider the issue.

"Everybody is going through a difficult time. These are policy matters. There can't be a super-government," the bench told senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for Barge.

The counsel said the police were on the front line but yet their salaries were being deducted. There is no uniform policy to guide on this, some states were doing it while some were not, he said.

The bench, however, said these were not the matters to be considered under the jurisdiction of a writ petition.

Kamat also referred to the deployment of police officers above the age of 55 years. Recently, two-three police officers had succumbed to the COVID-19.

"Again, are these matters of Article 32? People are creating work when there is no work. We are sorry to see such petitions," the bench said.

The bench said will not entertain this petition but would allow the petitioner to give a representation to the appropriate authorities.

The petition filed through advocates Rajesh Inamdar and Amit Pai alleged lack of protective gear, masks, gloves and sanitisers for the police personnel. The petitioner was also aggrieved with the decisions of the Haryana and Telangana governments to cut the salaries of the employees.