Chandigarh/Punjab (October 17, 2012): According to media reports the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday (October 16, 2012) dismissed the Public Interest Litigation filed by the NGO, ‘Voice For Freedom’, stating that it does not have locus standi to file petition against appointment of Sumedh singh Saini as Punjab DGP. But terming the issue as that of “substantial importance” the court reportedly declared that it would pursue the case. The decision has come from the bench headed by chief justice A. K. Sikri.
“The petitioner, non-governmental organisation (NGO) Voices for Freedom, had challenged Saini’s appointment as DGP on the ground that he was charged with kidnapping and killing innocent people in Ludhiana, and the case was pending in Delhi, in which a special CBI court in 2006 had even chargesheeted him and others. Saini was appointed DGP on March 14” reports Hindustan Times (HT).
The court reportedly dismissed the petition while stating that the NGO did not have locus standi to file the petition against Saini’s appointment” reports Law et al News.
“The petitioner contended one of the ‘questions of law of substantial public importance’ was ‘whether a person, who is facing a trial before the CBI Court for abduction etc can be treated as having very good record for the purpose of being appointed to the post of Director General of Police?’,” reports Law et al News.
The Tribune has reported that: “The court also appointed senior Supreme Court advocate KN Balgopal and advocate Kuldeep Khandelwal as amicus curiae to assist court. The case will now come up for further hearing on November 8.”