Patna: On June 27, the Patna High Court partially lifted its interim stay on the transfer of 19,858 Bihar police constables. The bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Partha Sarthy, ruled that only 59 constables who filed individual writ petitions will continue to benefit from the stay. The transfer orders for the remaining 18,799 officers can now proceed.
State Government Challenges Administrative Block
The decision followed an intra-court appeal by the Bihar government, which argued that the blanket stay—originally imposed on May 22 by the vacation bench—was obstructing essential policing functions.
Advocate General P.K. Shahi and Government Pleader Manish Kumar contended that such an extensive freeze hampered law enforcement and delayed necessary personnel movements across the state.
Also Read: 16 IPS Officers from Gujarat, UP, Bihar Among Cadres Set to Retire Across India
Court Agrees, Refines Scope of Relief
Taking cognizance of the state’s concerns, the High Court narrowed the scope of the stay to include only those who had individually petitioned the court. The May 5 transfer notification is now applicable to the wider batch of officers, allowing the state police administration to resume the reshuffling process.
The bench observed that continuing to block the transfer of nearly 20,000 personnel could seriously impair public service delivery and institutional functionality.
Read More: 7 IPS Officers Transferred; Jitendra Rana Takes Charge as Patna IG
