THE STATE OF ASSAM vs BINOD KUMAR

The Supreme Court examined the validity of Rule 63(iii) of the Assam Police Manual, which designated the Deputy Commissioner as the Reporting Authority for the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) of Indian Police Service (IPS) Officers. The Court held that this rule conflicts with Section 14(2) of the Assam Police Act, 2007, which prohibits the Deputy Commissioner from interfering in the internal organization and discipline of the police force. Consequently, the Court upheld the Gauhati High Court's decision to invalidate Rule 63(iii), affirming that the reporting structure must align with statutory provisions.