New Delhi, Sep 22 - Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken Tuesday slammed the Punjab goverment for 'blatantly misusing' the police machinery to 'settle political scores and further its political agenda'.

A statement released by Maken's office urged the state government to refrain from misusing the police for political vendetta.

'Ajay Maken slammed the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Punjab for blatantly misusing the state police machinery to settle political scores and further its political agenda,' the statement said.

'Misuse of police force not only raises doubts about the credibility of administration in the minds of people but also adversely affects normal policing,' Maken said following a recent visit to the state on behalf of elected representatives and civil society organisations.

Referring to Home Minister P. Chidambaram's remarks at the recent conference for police chiefs in the capital, Maken said he too had called for speeding up of police reforms and the setting up of a Police Establishment Board (PEB) that would decide all transfers, postings, promotions and service related matters of police officials.

Pointing at the state of policing in the state, Maken further said the state government had not paid heed to the directives of the Supreme Court.