The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Public opinion on Police Bill sought

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Monday, Feb 18, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Public opinion on Police Bill sought

HYDERABAD: The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and other organisations working for human rights have advised the State government not to pass the proposed Police Reform Bill in haste.

The CHRI has asked the government to conduct public hearings on the provisions that should be incorporated in the Police Reform Bill besides taking into consideration the directives issued by the Supreme Court before passing the Bill.

CHRI programme officers Pushkar Raj and Ebba Martensson expressed concern that the government was trying to pass the legislation on police reforms during the current budget session without implementing the Supreme Court’s seven-point directive providing for more transparent functioning of the Police Department.

Addressing a press conference with representatives of Sakshi, People’s Watch and other organisations, Mr. Pushkar Raj said the apex court favoured constitution of a State Security Commission to ensure that the government did not exercise “unwarranted influence or pressure” over the police and to lay down broad policy framework.

DGP appointment

The court wanted the appointment of DGP through merit-based and transparent process and police officials on operational duties be given a minimum tenure of two years besides setting up a Police Establishment Board to look into transfers and postings.According to the affidavits filed by the States in the Supreme Court in April last year, only six States had complied with the directives while 20 others were found to be partially complaint. Andhra Pradesh was among the non-compliant States that had registered objections to some or all the directives.

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