Supreme Court seeks Centre's response on removal of Vaid as DGP
New Delhi, Sep 11 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the Centre's response on a plea contending that the removal of S.P. Vaid as Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police breached the top court's directions on police reforms and amounted to "gross contempt".
Seeking the response, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud sought the assistance of Attorney General K.K. Venugopal in the matter.
The court directed that a copy of the application be served on lawyer Binu Tamta, who is assisting the Attorney General and to senior counsel Raju Ramachandran who is amicus curiae in the case.
Vaid was removed on the midnight of September 6.
Venugopal told the court that the court has barred the appointment of acting Director General of Police (DGP) to curb the misuse of fixed two-year term for the head of police force in States and Union Territories.
Counsel Prashant Bhushan, appearing for former DGP of Uttar Pradesh Prakash Singh, told the bench that removal of Vaid was in violation of the Supreme Court directions.
He questioned the appointment of Vaid's successor Dilbagh Singh on the grounds that he had been charge-sheeted in a recruitment scam.
Advocate Shoeb Alam, who appeared for Jammu and Kashmir, told the court that the appointment of Vaid's successor was a temporary arrangement and the State has approached the UPSC with a panel of names to be named the regular DGP.
The 2006 court directions on police reforms came on a petition by Prakash Singh.
Bhushan told the court that Vaid was removed although there were no charges against him and without consulting the State Security Commission.
The court directed the matter to be listed for hearing next week.
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UDF will have huge win in Kerala, NDA won't open its account: Cong leader Satheesan
Kochi (PTI): Senior Congress leader V D Satheesan on Friday expressed confidence in a huge win by the UDF, claiming it will make a clean sweep in five districts, and brushed aside speculations that the NDA will open its account in Kerala.
Satheesan, speaking to reporters here a day after the conclusion of the Assembly polls, praised the performance of the UDF leaders and workers during the election, saying it was the best ever he has seen in the last 30 years.
He said that his claims of the UDF getting over 100 seats is not a mere statement, but based on the work the front has done during the last five years to bring back all those who had left it in 2005 and as a result, there was a huge wave in its favour in the state.
The leader of opposition in the state assembly, who contested from the Paravoor constituency, further said that the Congress-led front also had a major social backing from minorities and marginalised groups in the society.
Besides that, there was an anti-incumbency feeling among the people who were disappointed with the LDF rule, he claimed and said that the UDF provided them with a hope and an alternative which no other opposition had done in the past.
"All these factors will contribute to a huge win for the UDF and it would not be surprising if we make a clean sweep in Malappuram, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts. That is a total of 43 seats," he said.
According to him, the polling percentage increased because the UDF got people added to the electoral list.
He also brushed aside the LDF remarks about a woman or youth CM, saying that "they can make such statements now as they know they cannot win".
"Otherwise, why did they campaign with Pinarayi Vijayan as the main factor. Why did they say a third Pinarayi rule will come?" he asked.
He also claimed that the LDF's decision to spend government money on its political campaign, by putting up hoardings and carrying out social media programmes to sway voters, has also backfired as people realised that their taxes were being wasted like that.
Asked whether the NDA will open its account, especially in areas where the UDF claimed the BJP-led front had made a deal with the LDF, Satheesan replied in the negative.
He said that as of now he does not see any chance of the NDA opening its account in the state.
