Call for urgent steps to reform police force

CHENNAI: The Hindu 7 Nov 2006

Speakers at a panel discussion here on Sunday called for urgent steps to reform the police force in the wake of the Supreme Court's order in September, directing the Union Government and States to make police administration autonomous. The meeting, organised by the Citizens' Alliance for Good Governance, called upon the people to urge Members of Legislative Assembly and the Chief Minister for taking steps to establish the mechanisms, as stated in the order, by the end of this year.

Era Sezhiyan, former Member of Parliament, said no number of laws would be useful unless the people were vigilant; it was for the public to protect democracy. The recommendation of the National Police Commission (1977-1981) that law and order be separated from investigation was not implemented. V.R. Lakshmi Narayanan, former Director-General of Police, said the existing laws should first be implemented seriously to improve the functioning of the police department.
Already, a plethora of institutions functioned to oversee the working of the police, and they should be allowed to perform their duties. It would suffice if there were State-level institutions for monitoring the functioning of the police. "Take politicians off our back," he said.
Naga Saila, president of the Chennai unit of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry), said the police reforms had to be seen positively. When new institutions were created, independence of the existing institutions should remain intact.

Transparency and accountability in the policing should be ensured. Open house sessions between police officers and activists should be made mandatory, as in the case of gram sabhas. There should be public evaluation of the working of the police personnel, and it should be made a criteria for increment or promotions.

N.L. Rajah, advocate, Madras High Court, explained the salient features of the Supreme Court order and said the enactment of new laws should be preceded by informed debates.
V. Suresh, president of the PUCL, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, said the court order stated that till the laws were created, its directives should be implemented.

R.K. Raghavan, former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, said that as the constabulary constituted the bulk of the force, its quality should be enhanced.
Steps had been taken, and the composition of constabulary had changed in recent years.
A.K. Venkat Subramanian, spokesman of the Citizens' Alliance, said social will should prevail over political will in implementing police reforms.