In the face of internal security in India Naxalism, communalism, caste-ethnic violence, cybercrime etc. present many challenges. To effectively deal with these challenges, it is necessary forthe police force to be efficient and resourceful.But it is unfortunate that the state government are not showing seriousness towards police reforms.
Why is police reform necessary?
• In front of internal security challenges ofthe country, Naxalism, communalism etc.along with organized crime, fraud from banking system, cyber crime etc. have created many new challenges. one of these challenges
Only efficient police system can deal with it. It may be noted that the police systemacts as the 'first line of defence' against these security threats. Many posts of policemen are lying vacant in the states.Due to this the serving policemen are overburden with work. In such a situation, it is not possible to curb the increase in crime.
Training for the police force to investigate crimes committed by criminals.It requires resources, forensic capabilityand infrastructure. In this context,the state governments are negligent. There is a lot of political interference in the functioning of the police force which gives undue advantage to those in power.
supreme court directive
• Formation of the State Security Commission which will ensure that the state government does not exert undue influence or pressure on the police, as well as determine broad policy guidelines and evaluate the performance of the state police.
The Director General of Police should be appointed through a merit-based transparent process and his tenure should be of minimum two years.For operational duties, a police officer Including Superintendent of Police in charge ofa district and station house officers) should also have a minimum tenure of two years.
The investigation and law and order function of the police should be separated.A Police Establishment Board should be formed to decide matters related to the rank of Deputy superintendent of Police and transfer, posting,promotion and other services of police officers subordinate to him. A Police Complaints Authority should be set up atthe state level to investigate public complaints against Deputy Superintendents of Police And senior police officers in cases of serious misconduct.
At present, terrorism has emerged as a big challenge,to deal with which police need proper training.Our police is not able to deal with the increasing cybercrimes day by day. Internal security related problems like Naxalism, extremism in the North East, separatism in Jammu and Kashmir are getting deeper, to deal with which the police need to be properly trained and modernised.
The weapons and other equipment of the police of most of the states are old. And they lack the latest technologies. Lack of proper and updated training in police. There is also lack of arrangement for their physical and other level check-up in between after their appointment in service. A large number of police seats are vacant in many states. Under the pressure of transfer and appointment, the police also have to work under political pressures etc.
Committees and instructions related to police reform
• After the Emergency, the Morarji Desai government constituted The Police Commission (National Police Commission) under the chairmanship ofDr. Dharamvir, which presented detailed recommendations related to police reforms in eight parts. However, due to political reluctance, these recommendations could not be implemented.
• Even after this, several committees were formed for various aspects of police reforms, including Gore Committee for Police Training (1971-73), Rybhero Committee on Police Reforms (1998), Padmanabhaiah Committee(2000), Group of Ministers on National Security and Police Reforms But Soli Sorabji Committee etc. are the main ones.
● The Supreme Court issued comprehensive guidelines on police reforms in Prakash Singh Vs Union of India.
The main points of these guidelines are as follows-
• A State Security Commission should be formed in every state so that thestate government does not create unnecessary pressure on the police. Also, broad policy guidelines can be prepared and the performance of the state police can be evaluated.
• It should be ensured that the working police officers [including the Superintendent Of Police in-charge of the district and the Station House Officer (SHO)also included) should have a minimum tenure of two years.
• It is also necessary to separate the criminal investigation and prosecution work of the police from the responsibility of law and order enforcement.
• Transfer of officers below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police,For appointment, promotion and other service based Matters Police Establishment Board (PEB) should be established.
•At the state level for investigation of complaint received from the general public against police officers above the rank of deputy superintendent of police, such as ill-treatment, custodial death or rape, and at the district level for complaints against police officers below the above rank. But the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) should be established.
• A National Security Commission should be constituted for the purpose of constituting a panel for the selection an appointment of heads of central police institutions,whose minimum tenure would be two years.
