The Rajasthan High Court has granted interim relief to Lakhan Singh Khatana, a police officer posted as Station House Officer (SHO) at Mansarovar police station in Jaipur. The court stayed an order that had reverted him from the Rajasthan Police Service (RPS) to his previous post.
Court Order and Proceedings
The single bench of Justice Ravi Chirania passed the order on April 18, which was released online on Thursday. The court issued notices to the state government and senior police officials concerned, allowing them four weeks to respond to the petition.
Arguments by Petitioner's Counsel
Khatana's counsel, Shovit Jhajharia, argued that the March 10 reversion order was arbitrary and violated the principles of natural justice. He emphasized that no hearing was provided to the affected police officer before the decision was made. Khatana had been promoted to the RPS in December 2025 and took charge following the promotion. However, based on a departmental committee's decision in February, he was reverted to his earlier position.
Court's Ruling
The single bench ruled to stay the reversion order during the pendency of the petition, highlighting concerns over due process. The court noted that the lack of a hearing before the adverse order raised serious questions about fairness and legality.
