The Supreme Court has ruled that “organisation justice” must be maintained in the police force.
It is required that all questions about posting, transferring, and seniority be resolved in line with the Rules within the department.
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has declared that “organisation justice” must be upheld in the department because of the prominence of police in the criminal justice system.
The determination of the seniority of a police officer holding the post of the inspector in the Punjab Police under the Police Rules was the subject of a nine-page judgement written by Justice Sayed Mansoor Ali Shah. He stated that “the issues of posting, transfer, and seniority must be settled within the department strictly in accordance with the Rules and only matters requiring legal interpretation may come up before the Courts.”
When the intricate Police Rules and the Police Order specifically address such scenarios, the judgement said, “Several junior officers petitioning the courts for redress of their grievance reflects poorly on the internal governance of the Police department.”
According to Article 10 of the Police Order, 2022, the Inspector General of Police, Punjab (IGP) has administrative control over the Police organisation, according to a division bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice Shah.
The court stated that the organization’s top cop had a duty to use his legal authority to see that the police officers were dealt with in accordance with the law and within the prescribed time frames.
The verdict stated that “in case there is any unexplained delay in adhering to the timeline, the concerned Police Officers be held accountable and any action taken or punishment imposed upon them be adequately mentioned in their performance evaluation reports.”
In order to address the concerns of junior police officers regarding their inter se seniority on a regular basis and to give them a sense of empowerment regarding organisational justice in their organisation, the IGP may also take this into consideration. This standing committee would be led by an Additional Inspector General of Police or another appropriate officer. This will result in the country’s police force growing to be more robust, effective, and strong,” it was noted.
We are confident that going forward, the police department will handle its internal administration strictly in accordance with the law and will reinstate a Rule-based approach to resolving police officer grievances so that the courts are not excessively burdened.
The court stated that organisational justice was required for the police officers to carry out their tasks with entire dedication, fidelity, and commitment and that they must believe the institution is fair and just towards them.
“Police officers who have such views of justice would show less cynicism about their work and are also likely to have a friendlier attitude towards the public,” the study concluded.
“Delay in promotions and uncertainty in the promotion structure impairs such perceptions of serving police personnel, leading to inefficiency, increased risk of misconduct, and low morale, thus affecting the public’s trust in the police.” Therefore, it is essential to secure the supply of organisational justice in the police as an institution, particularly with regard to career advancement and promotion, in order to have an efficient and effective police force. As a result, the promotion structure must be clear and any complaint regarding professional advancement or promotion must be promptly resolved under the law.
According to the ruling, organisational justice was firmly based on the fundamental rights and constitutional principles guaranteed to every person by the Constitution.
It went on to say that the fundamental elements of organisational justice were the constitutional principles of social and economic justice read with due process, the right to dignity, non-discrimination, the right to engage in a lawful profession, and the right to livelihood.
The court stated that it is impossible to overstate the significance of organisational justice.
It focuses on how staff members assess the organization’s behaviour and how that behaviour relates to staff members’ attitudes and actions towards the organisation. The court stated that the employees are sensitive to the daily decisions made by their employers, both on a small and large scale, and will view these actions as fair or unjust.
“Decisions that are deemed unfair encourage workplace deviation. When procedures are reliable, accurate, ethical, and free of bias, employees also believe them to be fair, the report continued.
“Organizational justice is concerned with all aspects of workplace behaviour, including salary, access to training, and gender equality, as well as how bosses treat their subordinates. Any firm should make ensuring organisational justice a top priority since it can lower the prevalence of workplace deviance, absence, disengagement, and other unproductive workplace behaviours while simultaneously encouraging good traits like trust and forward-thinking communication.
The Police Order, 2002 and the Police Rules, which provide a comprehensive code of internal governance, were acknowledged by the court as the “best” way to regulate the Police force.
“The Inspector General of Police or his representatives must first settle any disputes, if any, between the police officers. The courts shouldn’t interfere with the police force’s operations unless there has been a clear violation of the police order or rules or a clear legal interpretation. This is necessary for the police to continue functioning, autonomously, independently, and efficiently because they are charged with the onerous duty of upholding the law and the onerous duty of protecting the lives and property of the nation’s citizens. The Police must operate as a rule-based organisation with complete autonomy and independence in order to regulate its internal governance, more than any other organisation.
“A strong and intelligent police force needs organisational justice to be deeply ingrained in the corporation so that its officers may be confident they are employed by a company that strongly supports rules, fairness, transparency, and efficiency. It also elevates the institution by making it more lively and forward-thinking. This maintains the morale of the police officers, especially junior police officers who are forced to carry out hazardous and demanding missions on a daily basis.
