The Supreme Court on Monday quietly folded a new public interest petition into the long-running Prakash Singh police reforms case, a matter that has shaped policing debates in India for nearly three decades. The hearing itself was brief, but the message from the bench was clear: fragmented petitions will not be handled in silos anymore.
As lawyers packed Court No. 1, the focus remained on whether fresh concerns raised could be addressed within the existing framework of the landmark case, instead of opening yet another parallel track.
Background
The original Prakash Singh & Ors. v. Union of India case, filed back in 1996, resulted in path-breaking directions aimed at insulating the police from political interference and improving accountability. Over the years, however, complaints about patchy and selective implementation by States have kept the case alive.
The present writ petition flagged similar concerns. But rather than treating it as a standalone matter, the Court noted that these very issues were already under consideration in a batch of connected cases, with Prakash Singh as the lead. Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran continues to assist the Court as amicus curiae in monitoring compliance.
Court’s Observations
Recording the submissions made in court, the bench observed that the subject raised was “already the subject matter of consideration” in the ongoing proceedings. The Court took note of the amicus curiae’s statement that he had earlier filed an application recommending measures for better implementation of the main judgment.
Importantly, the amicus informed the bench that the concerns highlighted in the new petition would be addressed through “a supplementary set of fresh recommendations.” The judges appeared satisfied with this approach, signalling a preference for consolidation rather than duplication.
There was no elaborate oral commentary, but the order reflected a practical judicial approach - deal with systemic reform in one place, not through scattered litigation.
Decision
The Supreme Court directed that the lead matter, W.P. (C) No. 310 of 1996 (Prakash Singh & Ors. v. Union of India), along with all connected cases, be listed for further consideration on 4 February 2026 at 2:00 pm, effectively tagging the present petition with the main police reforms proceedings.
Case Title: Prakash Singh & Ors. v. Union of India
Case No.: Writ Petition (Civil) No. 310 of 1996 (with connected W.P.(C) No. 687 of 2024)
Case Type: Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
Decision Date: 15 December 2025