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Punjab govt set to give more
powers to police
WSN
Network
 CHANDIGARH: At a
time when the civil society in Punjab has been crying hoarse about
the increasing powers of the police and the failure of the
politician and the lgislature to bring about reforms in the
functioning of the uniformed force, the Akali regime is set to
entrust the force with even more powers.
Nearly 31 years
after the police commissionerate system was first established in
Delhi, the Punjab government is set to introduce a similar system in
some cities.
A draft proposal
has been prepared and has been taken up by Director General of
Police P.S. Gill with Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister
Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Sukhbir has
confirmed that the government was seriously considering the proposal
and claimed that many states have successfully implemented the
commissionerate system in their cities. To begin with, Punjab may do
it in three cities of Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.
The new system
will add to the powers of the police as it will empower police
officers to exercise some functions and responsibilities of
district/executive magistrates. The government is also considering
giving licensing powers to police commissioners which have a bearing
on crime and public order like arms licences.
Basically, the
new system will allow the police commissioners to exercise functions
and responsibilities of district magistrates.
The proposal
also envisages posting Deputy Inspectors General as police
commissioners, SSPs and SPs as Deputy Commissioners of Police, and
Deputy SPs as Assistant Commissioners of Police.
After the Delhi
Police Commission made its recommendations in 1976, the police
commissionerate system was first introduced in
Delhi
in 1978. Later,
Maharashtra,
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal,
Orissa and Madhya Pradesh introduced the system.
While the IAS
lobby in Punjab has always been opposed to the idea saying such a
system would not be in public interest, police officials argue that
the unitary chain of command will ensure singular responsibility and
hence, accountability.
2
September 2009
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