The Hindu : New Delhi News : Draft Police Act focuses on tenure

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 22, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Draft Police Act focuses on tenure

Prashant Pandey

Draft outline for the proposed new Police Act

NEW DELHI: The draft outline for the proposed new Police Act has paid attention to security of tenures of officers both at the senior and lower levels. If the proposal is included in the final Act, mass transfers of senior police officers and arbitrary change of guard at the topmost level as well as constant shuffling of lower ranked officers without any explanation may well become a thing of the past.

According to the proposed clause on security of tenure, a Director-General of Police will have a minimum tenure of two years. This would be irrespective of the incumbent's date of superannuation. However, there will be certain conditions under which the Director-General can be removed before the completion of the tenure. These will include conviction in a criminal or corruption case; demotion or compulsory retirement as punishment under the provisions of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules or any other relevant rule; suspension from service or incapacitation due to physical or mental illness.

The incumbent may also be removed before the expiry of his tenure if he is promoted to a higher job within the State Government or the Central Government.

However, the officer in question will have to express his consent to accept the new job in writing. In every eventuality, the State Government will have to provide written reasons for removal of the incumbent before the expiry of the tenure.

On the other hand, the proposed Act seeks to fix the tenure of lower ranked officials like the Station House Officer at the police station, DSPs at the sub-divisional and the Superintendent of Police at the district level. .

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