Kochi: The Kerala High Court has upheld the State Government's decision to restructure recognised police associations in the state by abolishing the Kerala Police Officers' Association (KPOA) and redistributing its members between two other associations.
The dispute arose from a State Government order seeking to reorganise three associations representing police personnel of different ranks.
Under the order, the KPOA was dissolved, while the Kerala Police Association (KPA) and the Kerala Police Senior Officers' Association (KPSOA) were retained under a revised structure.
The KPOA challenged the Government's decision and initially secured a favourable ruling from a single judge, who quashed the order. The State subsequently challenged the decision before a Division Bench.
A Bench comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Preetha AK allowed the State's appeals on Thursday, thereby restoring the Government's decision to abolish the KPOA, the Bar and Bench reported.
The Keralam Government had permitted the formation of three recognised police associations in 1979: the KPA, KPOA and KPSOA.
However, through a Government Order issued on July 27, 2026, the State introduced a revised arrangement.
Under the new structure, Civil Police Officers, Senior Civil Police Officers, Grade Assistant Sub Inspectors, Assistant Sub Inspectors and Grade Sub Inspectors were brought under the KPA. Sub Inspectors and higher-ranking officers were placed under the KPSOA.