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POLICE REFORMS
HAVE A PLAINT AGAINST COPS?
4-member panel will hear you out
Mumbai: Citizens’ complaints against policemen will now be heard not by policemen but by a four-member panel, headed either by a retired judge of the Bombay high court or a retired senior bureaucrat. One of the four members of the panel will be an eminent person not identified with any political party. The state government is likely to announce the names of the panellists on August 15.
The retired senior bureaucrat has to be either a police officer of the state government of the rank of director general of police or a retired IAS officer of the rank of chief secretary, additional chief secretary or principal secretary. Of the other three members of the State Police Complaint Authority (SPCA), one will be an officer of secretary rank and other an eminent person. The third member will be the member-secretary, who will be a serving police officer not below the rank of additional director general of police. The SPCA’s role will be to look into complaints of misconduct, dereliction of duty, misuse of power, corruption and negligence by officers above the rank of assistant commissioner of police. Similarly, there will be a District Police Complaint Authority (DPCA) to hear complaints against police personnel ranging from inspectors to constables. “Both committees are independent bodies formed to oversee complaints from the common man against the police officers,’’ said a senior home department official. “Every activity—from the behaviour with the complainant to the action taken on the complaint—will be watched,’’ the official added. Apart from the SPCA, the state will form a State Security Commission (SSC) to draft the policy guidelines for the police department. The commission will bring in more transparency into the transfers and promotions of the police personnel. “This commission will evaluate the performance of the police force,’’ the official added. Leader of the opposition will be part of this commission. Admitting that this was a good step, leader of the oppostion Ramdas Kadam said, “This will help stop infighting within the police department over posting and transfer issues.’’ According to the government resolution on the issue, the panel will be headed by minister in-charge of home department and will comprise of two nonofficial members. Of these two members, one should preferably be a woman. Police officials, too, will have a platform to register their complaints against the department—the Police Establishment Board (PEB). It will decide transfers, postings, promotions and other service-related matters. “The board will function as forum of appeal for any complaint,’’ a senior official said. SPEAK OUT: The names of the panel members may be announced on August 15
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