The Hindu : Other States / Union Territories News : Need for all-India agency to deal with inter-State crime

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Monday, Apr 18, 2005

Other States

Other States - Union Territories

Need for all-India agency to deal with inter-State crime

Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Governor S.F. Rodrigues, who is also the Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, has called for creation of an all-India agency to investigate serious federal crimes which cannot be tackled effectively by the individual State governments. The opinion was expressed by Gen. Rodrigues while speaking as Chandigarh's Administrator at the Chief Ministers' Conference on Law and Order in New Delhi this past Friday, according to a Punjab Raj Bhavan spokesman here. Gen. Rodrigues said that such an all-India Central agency could take up investigation of crimes which involved two or more States as well as those related to national security. He stressed the need for effective institutional mechanisms for interaction and collaboration between States and central intelligence agencies shouldering the responsibility of the internal and external security of the country.

He said there was also a need to institute steps to re-vitalise the police machinery, pay attention to the police command, control, supervision and inspection systems as well as empowering police officers, at different levels to ensure professional autonomy. Pleading for an effective dispute redressal mechanism, Gen. Rodrigues said despite the best intentions of the Government, the backlog of cases pending in various courts continued to increase. He warned that the real danger came from the common man losing faith in the judiciary, which could impel the search for alternative avenues for resolution of disputes, threatening law and order.

Expressing serious concern over the continue decline in the sex ratio and rising incidence of female foeticide, Gen Rodrigues stressed the need for an immediate action plan to maintain social equilibrium. Giving an account of the steps taken by the Chandigarh Administration for gearing up the law enforcement apparatus in the Union Territory, Gen. Rodrigues said the focus was on re-structuring of the police machinery and also making it people friendly, transparent and open. The infrastructure at police stations had been suitably augmented.

Gen. Rodrigues also made a plea for more police resources including manpower, in view of the increasing responsibilities of the police, for which he sought early approval to the outstanding proposals.

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Need for all-India agency to deal with inter-State crime