Meeting calls for relook at police reforms ordinance
Civil rights groups in the state have blamed the Tamil Nadu Police Reforms Act (2013) for watering down from the directives of the Supreme Court and called for a re-look at the ordinance
Chennai: Civil rights groups in the state have blamed the Tamil Nadu Police Reforms Act (2013) for watering down from the directives of the Supreme Court and called for a re-look at the ordinance. A consultation meeting on drafting an alternative police bill replacing the archaic police act of 1861 and other police laws was held on Saturday, where it was pointed out that many provisions were in violation of the SC’s directive in its landmark judgment in 2006 in the Prakash Singh case.
The consultation was jointly organised by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Campaign for Custodial Justice and Abolition of Torture and Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation.“None of the 17 states which passed the police reforms bill after the SC judgement had done so in true spirit. Like other states, TN police reforms ordinance too has largely diluted the SC directives,” said Devika Prasad, senior programme officer of CHRI. The new act has only increased the police powers, she observed.
The meeting also highlighted that there were no independent members or members from the judiciary in the state security commission established to overlook police functioning.
Most of them were already serving as chairpersons in other commissions and would not spend enough time at the security commission, Devika Prasad said. The worst provision was that the people complaining to the police complaints board (against police officials) should also send sworn affidavits from notary, she said.
The speakers included senior advocates, activists and also members of MDMK and CPI (M) who accused both the Dravidian majors of lacking political will to enforce reforms.
Writer Thiagu expressed apprehension that nothing big would come out of the present consultation. “They didn’t listen to the recommendations from the police commission. But we won’t stop fighting,” he said candidly.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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