Kerala Police Officers’ Association comprising ASIs, SIs and Inspectors challenges its dissolution

On the heels of the Kerala Police Association (KPA) comprising civil police officers (CPOs) and senior CPOs securing a stay from the High Court on the State government order restructuring police associations, the Kerala Police Officers’ Association (KPOA), consisting of Assistant Sub-Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors and Inspectors, has petitioned the High Court, challenging its dissolution.The State government order issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) on July 27 had disbanded the KPOA, apportioning its members and assets between the KPA and the Kerala Police Senior Officers’ Association (KPSOA).The KPOA, which has about 11,000 members, maintained that a two-thirds majority in its general body alone was vested with the power to change its constitution. Its incumbent office-bearers were elected in August 2025 for a two-year term, but the July 27 government order radically altered the membership structure of police associations, rendering KPOA defunct.According to the petition, the government has no power, authority or jurisdiction to abolish a recognised association, amend its by-law by executive order, induct members into other associations, and merge or dissolve it. The order should therefore be set aside, the association said. The case is expected to be heard on July 31.‘Restructuring defies logic’Meanwhile, police officers told The Hindu that the proposed restructuring defied logic, as each of the three recognised associations represented a specific category of officials. The KPA was for constables numbering about 30,000, the KPOA for the mid-level officers and the KPSOA for the senior non-IPS officers. “Each of these categories would have vastly different grievances and service-related issues. To merge them into two broad categories would be a self-defeating exercise,” an officer said.He also pointed to the question of hierarchy being affected if a merger were to be engineered. “In a uniformed force, hierarchy is sacrosanct. But the proposed structure would give rise to unhealthy competition during elections, causing a dent in hierarchical discipline, which would not augur well for the force,” he said. Published - July 30, 2026 09:36 pm IST