Date:26/05/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/05/26/stories/2009052660531000.htm

National

Court asks U.P. to employ sacked policemen

J. Venkatesan

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide provisional appointments to over 22,000 police constables who were dismissed from service by the government in 2007.

A vacation bench comprising Justice Markandey Katju and Justice Deepak Verma also refused to stay contempt proceedings pending in the Allahabad High Court against the State government for its failure to implement a High Court order that had directed reinstatement of the constables.

The order said: “Heard the parties. List on July 8. Meanwhile appointments will be made to the selected candidates but in the appointment order it may be specified that these are provisional appointments and subject to the final outcome of the special leave petition.”

It was last week that the Allahabad High Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to reinstate by May 27 around 18,000 of the nearly 22,000 constables who had been removed. They were recruited during the Samajwadi Party regime between 2004 and 2006. The High Court had in March directed the State government to reinstate those who were genuinely qualified from among the 22,000 constables.

As the order was not implemented, a contempt petition was moved and the High Court issued notice on the petition filed by Pawan Kumar Singh and other constables. The SLP was directed against this order.