Kochi: The Kerala High Court has asked the policemen in the State to end the practice of calling the public 'eda' and 'edi' while interacting with them.
The court also asked the Director General of Police (DGP) to issue an order banning the use of such demeaning or profane words by the police force during interactions with the public.
Justice Devan Ramachandran gave the verdict while hearing a petition filed by J S Anil, a trader from Cherpu in Thrissur district.
The Judge reminded the police that all those who came before them were not accused.
The police should behave properly with the public. There is no need on the part of the public to tolerate misbehaviour from the side of the police, the court said.
The petitioner had complained that the ASI with the Cherpu police station had misbehaved with him and his daughter and tried to obstruct the functioning of their shop.
The court criticised the Thrissur District Police Superintendent for going silent in the inquiry report about the alleged misbehaviour of the ASI. The court also noted that there was no mention in the inquiry report about the obstruction caused to the functioning of the trader's shop.
The Judge instructed the District Police Chief to file an additional report to the court by including all these left out points.
Recently, Mathur Grama Panchayat in Palakkad district had become the first panchayat in Kerala to prohibit the use of the honorifics 'sir' and 'madam'. Anyone visiting the panchayat office need not address the elected representatives or office staff as 'sir' or 'madam'.
