Kerala High Court admits State’s appeal challenging court order to set aside police association reorganisation - The HinduPublished - October 12, 2026 09:07 pm IST - KOCHIA Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has admitted the State government’s appeal aggrieved by a Single Judge’s order quashing the reorganisation of police associations in the State.The Single Bench had allowed a petition challenging the orders issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to restructure the three police associations in the State. The Government Order split up the members and assets of the Kerala Police Officers Association in a 60:40 ratio between the Kerala Police Association and the Kerala Police Senior Officers Association.The State contended that the restructuring was initiated because the existing association structure had ceased to reflect the prevailing service structure. It found that the method of recruitment, promotional avenues, transfer policy, service conditions, administrative requirements, welfare concerns, and grievance redressal mechanisms of personnel belonging to the constabulary wing were materially different from those applicable to officers directly recruited to sub inspector ranks and officers in the regular promotional line from there.The State Police Chief examined the existing structure and recommended reorganisation of the membership composition while retaining three associations, the State said. The restructuring was thus intended to bring police personnel with broadly common service conditions, promotional avenues, administrative requirements, and welfare concerns under a common representative forum, it argued.The Single Bench had held that the government was not authorised to restructure the three police associations, which had been functioning independently for the past 47 years. It observed that a recognised association was entitled to ensure that its bylaws were not violated by any person, including the government. The Single Judge observed that before revoking recognition, the associations should be given a reasonable opportunity to file representations against the proposed action, as per the Police Forces (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1966.The State contended that the Single Judge had erroneously employed principles applicable to a voluntary or civilian service association to find that once a police association was recognised, its membership would be governed exclusively through its bylaws. It stated that the Single Bench did not consider that since the State Police Chief was empowered to grant, revoke, or refuse recognition, he was also authorised to “adopt a lesser regulatory measure of restructuring an association or altering its membership composition”.Published - October 12, 2026 09:07 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }