The Bombay High Court has rapped the city’s traffic police for failing to be present on duty and solving the complaints of the citizens. It has told the state that it must enforce heavy fines as well as suspend the identified erring policemen.
A bench comprising Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Bharati Dangre is hearing a criminal Public Interest Litigation filed by traffic constable, Sunil Toke.
In its affidavit, the state told the court that two traffic constables had been suspended while 13 others had been transferred to “insignificant posts”
Irked by this the bench said that they must “be held responsible” and that “sterner action” must be taken against “offending policemen”. The court stressed that a “strong message” needs to be sent to the traffic police.
Do Not Harass Citizens
The judges also censured the traffic department for harassing citizens who send in photo or video recordings of evidence demonstrating breach of traffic rules or of the traffic policemen failing to abide by their duty.
Justice Dharmadhikari pointed out it was common to see constables standing or talking on the phone or between themselves and lamented that such activities seem be “their prime duty” while manning the traffic is considered by them as “incidental duty”.
Affidavits have been also filed by the joint commissioner of traffic police as well as a senior official of the department but the court said that this wasn’t enough. The judges have urged that “sincere efforts” be taken to tackle the issue .
Make Public Phone Numbers Of Senior Officials
The bench has asked that the mobile phone numbers of the joint commissioner of traffic police as well as of a senior officer of the department be publicised so that they can be used by people to lodge complaints regarding instances of corrupt behaviour by policemen.
The matter has been posted for further hearing after a period of four weeks. The court has directed the joint commissioner of traffic police to submit a comprehensive affidavit .
