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CITIZENS’ INITIATIVE FOR PEACE

Invites You to a Public Meeting on

Police Reforms: For A Citizen Friendly Police 

 At

St. Xavier’s College Hall,Mahapalika Marg, Mumbai 40001

On

Thursday  25th November 2010 at 5:30 PM

SPEAKERS

Dr.Kiran Bedi

Magsaysay Award winner & Former IPS Officer

Ms Maja Daruwala

Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

Mihir Desai

High Court Advocate & Member, Governing Council of ICHRL

Talks to be followed by an Interactive Session

All are welcome

Website: www.mumbaicitizens.com 

Contact: Salil 9324869143, Dolphy 9820226227, Soheb 9833627173

Police Reforms: Why needed urgently?

To make police function autonomous and eliminate undue political/bureaucratic interferences. Also to ensure that they are not able to misuse their powers and become citizen friendly.

 
Background

The Janata Party in 1977, to investigate the reasons of Police brutalities and to improve its working, appointed a National Police Commission to have a comprehensive review of the police system. The Commission examined all relevant issues in about three and a half years & submitted 8 reports from February 1979 to May 1981. As the recommendations of National Police Commission were not implemented, 2 retired DGPs, Prakash Singh and N K Singh, filed a PIL in the Supreme Court in 1996. The Supreme Court delivered its judgement on 22nd September 2006 giving the following directions to the Central Government, State Governments and Union Territories for compliance.

 
The Supreme Court Directives:

1.Constitute a State Security Commission so that state government does not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure on the police, lay down broad policy guidelines

2. Director General of Police is appointed through a merit based, transparent process and enjoys a minimum tenure of two years

3. Police officers on operational duties a minimum tenure of two years;

4. Set up a Police Establishment Board, which will decide all transfers, postings, promotions and other service related matters of police officers;

5. Set up independent Police Complaints Authorities at the state and district levels to look into public complaints against police officers in cases of serious misconduct, including custodial death, grievous hurt or rape in police custody;

6. Separate the investigation and law and order functions of the police to ensure speedier investigation, better expertise.

 
Recent Supreme Court Order

The Supreme Court in its recent order has issued strictures against four state governments viz. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and asked their Chief Secretaries to remain present at the next hearing on the coming December 6th to explain non-compliance of the directives.

 
Conclusion

Overall the implementation of Police reforms is dismal except for a few states. The Maharashtra Government has failed to implement inspite of several promises.