Turmoil in IPS ranks as govt says its Association not recognised
A day after reports emerged that the government has refused to recognise the legality of the IPS Association, the names of its office-bearers — all senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers —were taken down from the body’s website. At the same time, the IPS Association tweeted from its official Twitter handle that the restrictions prohibiting police forces from forming associations do not apply to it as IPS officers are recruited and governed under the All India Service Rules just like the IAS. Responding to an RTI appeal case in the Central Information Commission on whether the government has recognised the IPS Association or not, the home ministry had said it has no record recognising the association, and that the police force does not have the right to form any association without the permission of the central government.
At CJI Gogoi farewell, Jai Shri Ram chants find echo again
When Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi walked up to the Supreme Court lawns for his farewell gathering, among the congratulatory messages from lawyers were a couple of Jai Shri Ram chants from a lawyer who was immediately hushed up by police. Even though CJI Gogoi turned a bit at the chanting, he did not react. Such chants have been quite regular at the apex court ever since the CJI Gogoi-led bench paved the way for a Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. As soon as the five-judge constitution bench had delivered the Ayodhya verdict, a group of lawyers in robes were chanting Jai Shri Ram throughout the SC lawns even as the Muslim litigants looked on and quietly left. On the other hand, CJI Gogoi on his last day left the press disappointed as neither did he deliver a speech nor did he interact with the media. He however, left the door open as he stated in a press note that he would be open to interviews when he is well into retirement.
Priyanka, Pilot missing from Congress’ Jharkhand campaign list
The Congress party’s star campaigners’ list for the Jharkhand assembly elections has thrown up many surprises. Party general secretary Priyanka Vadra, who usually doesn’t campaign outside Uttar Pradesh but who invariably figures on this list, seems to have decided to opt out this time as her name is missing. What is more surprising is the absence of the party’s so-called young Turks such as Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. He had addressed a few public rallies ahead of the Maharashtra elections. Party leaders say that Priyanka has been keen on campaigning wherever the candidates have wanted her to but her brother and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has turned it down every time she has showed eagerness in the past. Sources also said that the list is for the first phase in the five-phase election and that Priyanka’s name could be added later.
(Contributors: Sanya Dhingra, Debayan Roy and Deeksha Bhardwaj)
- The copy has been updated to correct the fact that Jyotiraditya Scindia is part of the Congress’ campaign team in Jharkhand.
What are governments afraid of? Is it not a constitutional right of employees to form an association and put forth their grievances? Haven’t elected governments used associations to spread their ideology and garner votes?
Indian Police Service is not a police?? Is it serious or some joke? Home Ministry needs to scrap this IPS if they are themselves claiming that they are not police. Is this IPS association making every rules regulation themself and Govt of India has no control or jurisdiction in there territory or is this IPS association a non-state actor?
The government should scrap both the IAS and IPS associations immediately. They are always threatening the government in the name of association. The government should declare that such associations are illegal.