Sajad Lone Initiates PIL for Equitable Police Verification and Citizens' Rights
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Srinagar, Jan 2 (NationPress) The President of J&K Peoples Conference (PC) and MLA from Handwara, Sajad Lone, has initiated a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) at the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in Srinagar, aimed at challenging the abuse of the police verification mechanism, according to a statement released on Thursday.
The PIL, submitted through Advocate Syed Sajad Geelani, seeks to tackle the increasing misuse of police verifications as a form of collective punishment, targeting individuals based on the actions or affiliations of their family members.
This action by Lone is a response to his previous pledge to defend the rights of citizens, stressing that the police verification process should not impose penalties on individuals for circumstances beyond their control, particularly regarding their relatives' behavior.
Lone stated, “The current system has been utilized to strip citizens of their fundamental rights, including employment opportunities, access to passports, and other vital services. The verification process must be transparent, fair, and in compliance with legal standards.”
The President of the PC emphasized that the petition demands the rigorous implementation of the Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (Validation of Character and Antecedents) Instructions, 1997, alongside recent amendments that require defined timelines for police verifications.
“These guidelines, which should focus solely on an individual’s criminal history, are frequently ignored, leading to unnecessary challenges. We are dedicated to ensuring their appropriate enforcement so that no citizen suffers unjustly due to the actions of others,” Lone asserted.
He pointed out that the PIL also addresses violations of Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantee equality, the freedom to pursue any profession, and the right to live with dignity.
“When police verifications rely on irrelevant factors, such as the behavior of a person’s relatives, it not only infringes upon their rights but also subjects them to unwarranted hardships that are ethically and constitutionally unjustifiable,” Lone remarked.
Referencing the Supreme Court's “Bulldozer Judgment,” which firmly opposed collective punishment, the PC President stated that the petition underscores the need for police verifications to concentrate solely on the individual involved.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling reinforces the principle that no individual should be penalized for the actions of others,” Lone added. “We aim to ensure that every citizen is treated justly and in accordance with the law.”
He clarified that this PIL is motivated not by political agendas but by a commitment to justice, equality, and the safeguarding of constitutional rights. “The petition includes real-life examples that demonstrate the serious economic, social, and emotional repercussions caused by arbitrary police verification practices. This is about defending the dignity and rights of the people. We will persist in our fight for justice for the citizens of Jammu & Kashmir,” he affirmed.
“The PIL has been filed with the court registry and is currently under procedural review. It will be scheduled for hearing once it receives clearance from the registry,” the statement concluded.
