Government to observe austerity: Centre to Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court was informed by the Centre on Wednesday that there are instructions to observe austerity as the government was hard pressed for money and additional posts in Delhi Police would be created only if absolutely necessary.

Secretary (Expenditure) in the finance ministry told a division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva that creating an additional 16,000 posts in Delhi Police would cost Rs.483 crore per annum.

In the year 2007, 20,000 posts were created in Delhi Police and currently there was one policeman for 241 people in Delhi, a figure that stands out amongst other states, said the secretary, who was called by the bench to appear in court in the last hearing.

The secretary said efficient policing could be achieved using other means like using advances in science and technology as efficient policing is not always connected with additional posts or more personnel.

The bench, however, said raising the number of policemen in Delhi was "costly but essential".

It directed the Centre to file a status report on the next date of hearing on October 14 with regard to induction of more police personnel.

Meanwhile, on the issue of installing CCTVs in the national capital, Delhi Police accepted the AAP government's offer to set up the cameras at the latter's expense at specified locations.

Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra said though the initial proposal was to install CCTVs at 44 red-flagged police stations in the capital, the Delhi government was considering to have CCTVs system in all 160 police stations here.

The court was hearing a case it took suo motu cognizance of after the December 16 gang rape incident in Delhi and in which an application was filed by advocate Meera Bhatia, seeking CCTV cameras in various crime-prone areas.