The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Secretariat has officially referred a privilege breach complaint filed by Congress MLA Ram Kumar against IPS officer Ilma Afroz to the Assembly’s Privilege Committee for detailed examination.
Allegation of Surveillance During Tenure as SP Baddi
The complaint stems from the period when Ilma Afroz, a 2018 batch IPS officer of the Himachal cadre, was posted as Superintendent of Police (SP), Baddi. MLA Ram Kumar has alleged that the officer spied on him, which he claims amounts to a violation of an elected representative’s legislative privilege—a serious matter under parliamentary norms.
Assembly Action Follows Home Department’s Response
The Assembly Secretariat acted on the complaint after receiving a formal reply from the State Home Department, which had initially been tasked with examining the issue. The Home Department, in turn, directed the State Police Headquarters to investigate and submit a report.
While the Police Headquarters sent its findings directly to the Secretariat, procedural norms required the report to be routed through the Home Secretary, not directly from the Director General of Police (DGP). This step was essential to ensure the Secretariat could officially acknowledge the report.
Subsequently, the Home Department forwarded both Ilma Afroz’s reply and the investigation report to the Secretariat, which then escalated the matter to the Privilege Committee.
Nature of the Complaint: Alleged Unauthorized Surveillance
The core allegation involves unauthorized tracking of the MLA’s movements, allegedly carried out by SP Afroz without any formal justification. Ram Kumar has claimed that such surveillance represents an infringement of his constitutional privileges as a legislator.
The initial complaint prompted a series of procedural actions, including a directive from then Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Omkar Sharma, seeking a report from the DGP and initiating an internal probe.
Ilma Afroz, currently posted as SP, Lahaul-Spiti, is a noted officer from the 2018 IPS batch.
Next Steps: Committee Hearings and Decision
With the case now in the hands of the Privilege Committee, the panel is expected to hear statements from both the complainant and the officer before arriving at a conclusion. If the committee finds grounds for the charge, it may recommend administrative or legislative action, depending on the severity of the breach.
This case has drawn significant attention in bureaucratic and political circles, as privilege breach complaints involving IPS officers are rare and often politically sensitive.
