Delhi cabinet okays setting up of police complaint authorities

In a move that may further strain the relationship between AAP Government and Delhi Police, the state cabinet today approved setting up of police complaint authorities at state and district levels following a Supreme Court order.
In pursuance of the Supreme Court order in letter and spirit, the Cabinet decided that public grievance commissions would not work as police complaint authority and that separate police complaint authorities would be set up for the purpose, a senior government official said.
The state-level authority will deal with complaints against Delhi Police officers of the rank of DCP and above while the district-level body will receive complaints against policemen up to ACP rank.

The State Level Police Complaint Authority will consist of a chairman and five members who will be appointed by the Delhi Government.
The chairman of the authority will be a retired judge of the High Court or Supreme Court who will be selected by a 'Selection Committee' from a panel of names proposed by the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, the official said.
The five wholetime members of the state authority will be chosen from among retired civil servants and police officers as well as civil society representatives. At least one female member will also be included in the authority.

They will be selected by a Selection Committee from a panel of names proposed by Lokayukta, Delhi Commission for Women and State Human Rights Commission, if applicable, said the official.

Each district will also have a police complaint authority comprising a chairman and five members who will be appointed by Delhi Government. The chairman of the district-level authority will be a retired district court judge who will be selected by a Selection Committee, from a panel of names proposed by the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court or a judge nominated by him.
Five wholetime members of the district-level authority will also be chosen from among retired civil servants, police officers or from the civil society. It will have at least one female member.

They will be selected by a Selection Committee, from a panel of names proposed by Lokayukta, Delhi Commission for Women and State Human Rights Commission, the official said.
The Selection Committee which will recommend names of chairmen and members of state- and- district-level bodies will include the Chief Minister as chairperson, and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Minister-in-Charge of Home department, and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly as members, the official added.
AAP has been at loggerheads with Delhi Police over a number of issues including law and order problem and alleged "victimisation" of AAP MLAs and leaders.