Kerala High Court orders mufti police to carry ID cards, authorisation order

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has directed that police officers on duty in civilian clothes, commonly known as 'mufti police,' must carry their identity cards and a specific authorization order to ensure proper identification by the public.

The term "mufti police" refers to officers who perform their duties in civilian attire instead of the standard police uniform. Justice P V Kunhikrishnan, in his ruling, stated that without proper ID and an authorization order, the public cannot be blamed for questioning the authority of a mufti police officer.

The bench observed, “Kerala is a state where literacy rate is high. Most of the people are sensitive. Therefore policemen should be vigilant while doing mufti policing…They should introduce themselves as policemen and also show their identity cards before intercepting or questioning the suspected people. Without the same, if the public questions a mufti police, nobody can blame them.”

The Court further clarified that mufti policing is only allowed for special, limited purposes when specifically ordered. Otherwise, all officers on beat or patrol must be in uniform. The Court also noted that neither the BNSS nor the Kerala Police Act makes any mention of mufti police, underscoring the need for clear regulations in this regard.