NGO urges Centre, states to affect police reforms

Highlighting lack of concrete steps taken towards police reforms, a human rights group body today urged the Centre and the state governments to take measures in this direction.
On the occasion of the Police Reforms Day, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), an NGO working in the field of human rights, called on the states and the Centre to give their urgent attention to improve policing.
"A decade since the Supreme Court directed the states and Union Territories to comply with seven binding directives, both states and the Centre have dragged their feet to put in place mechanisms that would improve policing," it said.

The seven directives issued by the SC while hearing a case in 2006 include- limiting political control, appointments based on merit, fixing minimum tenure, separating functions of investigation and law and order, setting up fair and transparent systems, establishing a police complaints authority in each state and setting up a selection commission.
"Day to day interference in operational matters skews law enforcement, and creates insecurity and distrust towards the police. No thought given to creating a vision of policing that is suitable for a democracy, nor to improving management, ensuring accountability nor evaluating performance in a more reasonable way," said Maja Daruwala, Director, CHRI.

Daruwala also stressed upon the need for the Centre and the state governments to work towards making police reforms a reality in the country and not just a mirage.