JUDGMENT

Dr. S. Muralidhar, CJ. - A practicing Advocate has instituted this Public Interest Litigation concerned about the ever-growing stock of seized vehicles and other properties in the various police stations in the State of Odisha.

2. A sampling of the photographs of all kind of vehicles including two wheelers and three wheelers lying dumped outside the various police stations in Odisha have been enclosed with the petition's Annexure-1 series. It is stated that the seized vehicles dumped in police stations are causing encroachment on the public road adjoining the police stations and are also turning to junk on account of neglect over several years.

3. Apart from the vehicles, there are a range of other articles that have been seized in connection with various cases which are lying unattended to in the malkhanas of the various police stations. It is pointed out that despite the provisions in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Cr PC) and the decisions of the Court, including the Supreme Court of India, from time to time, the spirit of law has not been adhered to and this has led to an impossible situation where most police stations in Odisha are left with a large inventory of a