SC to Examine Rules on Police Arrests Inside Court Premises Following Advocate–Police Altercation

Kerala Police Officers Association Vs State of Kerala & Ors. (Supreme Court of India)

The matter titled Kerala Police Officers Association vs State of Kerala & Others came before the Supreme Court of India. At the outset, the Court granted three weeks’ time to the respondents to file their counter affidavit, with liberty to the petitioner to file a rejoinder within one week thereafter. The matter was directed to be listed on 9 March 2026 for further consideration.

Read HC Judgment: Kerala HC Lays Down Arrest Protocol in Court Premises Due to Rising Police–Lawyer Conflicts

The proceedings relate to a Public Interest Litigation that was originally initiated suo motu following a letter dated 10 September 2024 from the Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association. The letter brought to the notice of the Court an incident involving an altercation between an advocate and police officials within the premises of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Ramankary in Alappuzha district. Observing that similar incidents were increasing in the State, the Court considered it necessary to frame guidelines to regulate interactions between police personnel and members of the legal profession, particularly within court premises.

On 20 November 2024, the Court directed the Secretary of the Home Department and the Director General of Police to produce any government orders, circulars, or office memorandums that guided police personnel on their conduct while attending court proceedings. In response, the State Police Chief filed an affidavit on 6 January 2025 stating that apart from circulars and standard operating procedures relating to investigations and prosecutions, there were no specific instructions governing the conduct of police personnel in court premises.