Lapse in Behera order: TP Senkumar

Thiruvananthapuram: State police chief T.P. Senkumar has cited lapses in the order issued by his predecessor Loknath Behera prescribing a specific brand of paint  for all police stations, even as he justified that there were  precedents of prescribing paint brands.

In a reply to a petition filed by activist Paichira Navaz, Mr Senkumar  said that though the brand of paint was mentioned to properly communicate the colour, as per the store purchase manual, the words 'or equivalent' should have been used in the order. "The directive issued by Mr. Behera did not contain the words 'or equivalent' and hence it created a misunderstanding among the public about the directive," said the reply.

The controversy pertained to a directive issued by Mr. Behera on April 26 on a new colour code to police stations, circle inspector offices and DySP offices prescribing the name of the company along with the colour.

The brand of the paint was also mentioned as there might be slight changes in shades of the same colour of different companies. He also cited that in 1968 a circular issued by the police headquarters on the colour of police vehicles also mentioned the names of brands. Hence it could be considered only as an usual step to properly communicate the colour, Mr Senkumar  said.

He pointed out the lapse in following the store purchase manual norm that in case the brands need to be mentioned, the words 'or equivalent' should also be given.

A petition seeking a probe against Mr. Behera in this connection is pending at the Vigilance special court. Hence, Mr Senkumar’s letter may become crucial during the maintainability hearing on the petition.