Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Mar 10, 2010, 03.50am IST
NEW DELHI: The functioning of Delhi Police may undergo radical changes soon with top cops getting fixed tenures and a number of new-age offences like stalking and making hoax calls being added to the list of crimes.
The Delhi government has sent its final draft for amendment in the existing law, Delhi Police Act 1978, to the home ministry, proposing fixed tenures for senior cops besides giving more powers to different ranks of officers and defining a variety of crimes keeping the modern day challenge of policing in mind.
The amended legislation will have clauses dealing with "social responsibility of police", making it mandatory for cops to not only extend "due courtesy" while dealing with people but also maintain a "people friendly ambience at police stations".
A senior home ministry official said, "The draft bill is being finetuned and it will most likely be introduced in Parliament during the ongoing budget session. Once the proposed amendments get Parliament's nod, it will bring major changes in the day-to-day functioning of police in the Capital."
The draft -- Delhi Police Act (Amendment) Bill 2010 -- has proposed that while police commissioner will ordinarily have a minimum tenure of two years, other officers including joint commissioners of police (ranges), deputy commissioners of police (district) and SHOs will have a minimum tenure of one year.
The 37-page draft bill said the officers given fixed minimum tenure may be transferred earlier by competent authority for "reasons of incompetence, unsuitability for the job, disciplinary action/court cases".
The authority will, however, have to record the reason in writing before prematurely transferring officers.
As far as "social responsibilities of the police" are concerned, the draft bill has proposed insertion of a new section (60A) listing in detail various provisions which cops will have to compulsorily follow. Among other things, it includes providing "all possible assistance to victims of crime and of road accidents and, in particular, make efforts that they receive timely medical aid".
Similarly, among various duties of police officers, the proposed legislation makes it compulsory for cops "to diligently undergo deputed regular training programmes to upgrade professional skills".
Compared to the existing law, which empowers only additional commissioners of police to assist the police commissioner in conducting various statutory duties, the proposed law has extended such powers to special commissioners and joint commissioners in carrying out duties regarding appeal, revision and trial.
Setting up of Police Establishment Board (PEB) and separation of investigation work (to the maximum extent feasible) are two other important provisions in the draft bill.
The PEB, which will be constituted within three months of the commencement of the new amended Act, will deal with transfers, postings and other service matters pertaining to officers of the ranks of assistant commissioner of police and inspector. The board will consist of the police commissioner and three special commissioners.
Like PEB, there will be a Police Establishment Committee (PEC), which will take care of transfers and postings of constables and sub-inspectors.
The proposed law also deals with certain provisions relating to power to cops of different ranks. One of them deals with giving power to DCP (headquarters) to appoint "any number of able-bodied persons not less than 18 years of age" as special police officers (SPOs). Currently, this power only vests with the commissioner who can appoint only "male" persons. Under the new law, even women can be appointed as SPOs.
Many new kinds of offences -- which remain out of the purview of the existing law -- will also find place in the statute book once the draft bill is passed.It includes servant verification exercise, causing harassment through crank telephone calls and stalking, annoying passers-by in the street and making hoax calls.
The draft bill has also proposed "enhancing" penalty for many offences like for unauthorised use of police uniforms (from existing Rs 200 to Rs 5,000), for not obtaining licence in respect of place of public entertainment (from Rs 50 to Rs 2,500), false alarm of fire (from Rs 100 to Rs 5,000) and disorderly conduct at places of public amusement (from Rs 100 to Rs 4,000).....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTAvMDMvMTMjQXIwMDgwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
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