The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Order on police board to stay

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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Order on police board to stay

Staff Reporter

It will be in force till police Act comes into force: Acharya

Supreme Court has asked States to
reform policing
This requires bringing in new police Act

Bangalore: The Government Orders issued to set up the Police Establishment Board and the State Security Commission will be in force till the enactment of the new Karnataka Police Act. The State Government is actively pursuing enactment of the law, Home Minister V.S. Acharya has said.

“These Government Orders will remain till the police Act comes into force. We [the State Government] are waiting for the commencement of the legislature session to start the process of enactment of the law,” the Home Minister said.

Reforms

The Supreme Court has directed State governments to bring in reforms in policing and enact a new police Act. Till the Act is brought in, the State governments were asked to abide by six directives.

They include setting up of a State Security Commission, a Police Establishment Board, a Police Complaint Authority and ensuring a two-year fixed term for the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police.

The committee of the Supreme Court, headed by the former apex court judge K.T. Thomas, which is looking at the implementation of the directions, recently expressed dissatisfaction over the way the Karnataka Government had followed the directions. Apprehensions were expressed over the effectiveness of the Police Establishment Board and the State Security Commission.

“The committee had some apprehensions,” Dr. Acharya said.

Attempt to modernise

“But after meeting me it was satisfied with the work of the State Government in police reforms. We are trying to modernise the police force and taking constructive steps in bringing reforms in consultation with experts.”

Earlier, inaugurating the 39th police station of the Excise Enforcement and Lottery Prohibition Wing at Vijayanagar here on Thursday, Dr. Acharya said the State Government was committed to bringing in transparency in the recruitment and posting of police personnel.

The State Government would go by the directions of the newly formed Police Establishment Board.

The former MLA M. Krishnappa demanded that the State Government stop meddling with postings of police personnel and act according to the directions of the board headed by the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police.

Effective

Inspector-General of Police S.K. Venugopal said despite shortage of staff, the wing had been able to effectively curb manufacture and sale of illicit liquor.

This was reflected in the increase in revenue to the State Government from the sale of Indian-made foreign liquor, which added up to Rs. 6,550 crore this year.

Director-General and Inspector-General of Police Ajai Kumar Singh said the process would be initiated to recruit more personnel for the wing.

Mr. Venugopal said the wing would have a total of 42 police stations.

At Madiwala

The second police station in Bangalore would come up at Madiwala. A police station would be set up in Chickaballapur shortly, he added.

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