IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CIVIL WRIT JURISDICTION CASE No.14358 of 2010 ==================================================== Harendra Pratap Singh, Advocate, Son of Sri Brahma Dayal Singh, “Freedom Fighter’ resident of Village- Narbirpur, Panchayat-Narbirpur, proposed Block-Narbirpur, P.S. Koelawar, District-Bhojpur (Arrah), Proposed Division-Shahabad (Arrah) Present Address-2A, Kamla Apartment, Kavi Raman Path, Purbee Boring Road, Patna (Near Ex-Chief Minister Late Satyendra Narayan Sinha) and Practicing as an Advocate, a Member of Advocates’ Association, Advocates’ House, Patna High Court, Patna, in the State of Bihar (in person). …. …. Petitioner Versus 1. The State of Bihar, through the Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna (Respondent No.2). 2. The Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna. 3. The Principal Secretary, Governor Secretariat, Government of Bihar, Patna. 4. The Principal Secretary, Chief Minister Secretariat, Government of Bihar, Patna. 5. The Principal Secretary, Law Department, Government of Bihar, Vikash Bhawan, New Secretariat, Patna. 6. The Principal Secretary, the Department of Cabinet Secretariat, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna. 7. The Principal Secretary, General Administrative, (Personal and Administrative Reforms) Department, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna. 8. The Principal Secretary, Rural Development Department, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna. 9. The Principal Secretary, the Department of Finance, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna. 10. The Principal Secretary, Panchayat Raj Department, Government of Bihar, Vikash Bhawan, New Secretariat, Patna. 11. The Principal Secretary, the Department of Home, Government of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna. 12. The Director General of Police, Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna. 13. The Commissioner, Patna Division, Patna. 14. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Patna. 15. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Nalanda (Bihar Sharif). 16. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Bhojpur (Arrah). 17. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Rohtas (Sasaram). 18. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Buxar (Buxar). 19. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Kaimur (Bhabhua). 20. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Incharge, Range, Patna. 21. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna. 22. The Superintendent of Police, Bhojpur (Arrah). 23. The Superintendent of Police, Rohtas (Sasaram). 24. The Superintendent of Police, Buxar (Buxar). 25. The Superintendent of Police, Kaimur (Bhabhua). 26. The Superintendent of Police, Nalanda (Bihar Sharif). 27. The Commissioner, Tirhut Division (Muzaffarpur). - 2 - 28. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Muzaffarpur. 29. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, West Champaran (Bettiah). 30. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, East Champaran (Motihari). 31. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Sitamarhi. 32. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Shivhar. 33. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Vaishali (Hajipur). 34. The Deputy Inspector General of Police Incharge, Range Tirhut (Muzaffarpur). 35. The Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarpur. 36. The Superintendent of Police, West Champaran (Bettiah). 37. The Superintendent of Police, East Champaran (Motihari). 38. The Superintendent of Police, Sitamarhi. 39. The Superintendent of Police, Shivhar. 40. The Superintendent of Police, Vaishali (Hajipur). 41. The Commissioner, Saran Division (Chapra). 42. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Saran (Chapra). 43. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Siwan 44. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Gopalganj. 45. The Deputy Inspector General of Police incharge, Range, Saran (Chapra). 46. The Superintendent of Police, Saran (Chapra). 47. The Superintendent of Police, Siwan. 48. The Superintendent of Police, Gopalganj. 49. The Commissioner, Darbhanga Division, Darbhanga. 50. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Darbhanga. 51. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Madhubani. 52. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Samastipur. 53. The Deputy Inspector General of Police Incharge, Range, Darbhanga. 54. The Superintendent of Police, Darbhanga. 55. The Superintendent of Police, Madhubani. 56. The Superintendent of Police, Samastipur. 57. The Commissioner, Kosi Division, Saharsa. 58. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Saharsa. 59. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Madhepura. 60. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Supaul. 61. The Deputy Inspector General of Police Incharge, Range, Kosi (Saharsa). 62. The Superintendent of Police, Saharsa. 63. The Superintendent of Police, Madhepura. 64. The Superintendent of Police, Supaul. 65. The Commissioner, Purnea Division (Purnea). 66. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Purnea. 67. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Katihar. 68. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Araria. 69. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Kishanganj. 70. The Deputy Inspector General of Police Incharge, Range, Purnea. 71. The Superintendent of Police, Purnea. 72. The Superintendent of Police, Katihar. 73. The Superintendent of Police, Araria. 74. The Superintendent of Police, Kishanganj. 75. The Commissioner, Munger Division. 76. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Munger. 77. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Begusarai. 78. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Khagaria. - 3 - 79. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Jamui. 80. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Lakhisarai. 81. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Shekhpura. 82. The Deputy Inspector General of Police Incharge, Range, Munger. 83. The Superintendent of Police, Munger. 84. The Superintendent of Police, Begusarai. 85. The Superintendent of Police, Khagaria. 86. The Superintendent of Police, Jamui. 87. The Superintendent of Police, Lakhisarai. 88. The Superintendent of Police, Shekhpura. 89. The Commissioner, Magadh Division, Gaya. 90. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Gaya. 91. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Aurangabad. 92. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Jehanabad. 93. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Nawada. 94. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Arwal. 95. The Deputy Inspector General of Police Incharge, Range, Magadh. 96. The Superintendent of Police, Gaya. 97. The Superintendent of Police, Aurangabad. 98. The Superintendent of Police, Jehanabad. 99. The Superintendent of Police, Nawada. 100. The Superintendent of Police, Arwal. 101. The Commissioner, Bhagalpur Division. 102. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Bhagalpur. 103. The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Banka. 104. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Bhagalpur. 105. The Superintendent of Police, Bhagalpur. 106. The Superintendent of Police, Banka. 107. The Union of India, through the Secretary, Department of Home, Government of India, New Delhi (respondent no.108). 108. The Secretary, Department of Home, Government of India, New Delhi. 109. The Secretary, Department of Law and justice, Government of India, New Delhi. 110. The Registrar General, High Court, Patna, Bihar. 111. The Registrar (List and Computer), High Court, Patna, Bihar. …. …. Respondents ==================================================== Appearance : For the Petitioner: Mr. Harendra Pratap Singh (in person) For the State: Mr. Prashant Pratap, S.C.-17 with Mr. Gyan Shankar, Advocate For the High Court: Mr. Amish Kumar, Advocate For the UoI: Mr. Sarvadeo Singh, Advocate. ==================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE and HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE JYOTI SARAN ORAL ORDER (Per: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE) - 4 - 3. 14.9.2010. The petitioner has filed the present petition in public interest to espouse the cause of common people. According to the petition, a police station should display its name as ‘Police Station’ or the ‘Police Thana’. However, in the State of Bihar every police station displays its name as a ‘Thana’. In other words, the word ‘Thana’ has been used in synonym of the word ‘Police Thana’ misleading the people. A ‘Thana’ can be anything including the police Thana. In answer to the petition the State Government has filed counter affidavit and has relied upon the provisions contained in the Police Manual, more particularly Rule 75 of the Police Manual. It is demonstrated before us that every police station bears display inconsonance with the provisions contained in Rule 75 read with Appendix 80. We are also shown from various dictionaries that the word ‘Thana’ is synonym of ‘Police Station’. In above view of the matter no further action is required. The petition is disposed of. Pawan/- (R.M. Doshit, CJ) (Jyoti Saran, J)