Tags:
Journalism of Courage
VADODARA, SEPT 2: In a step that aims to unite power and responsibility, the state government has decided to empower police range in-charges to initiate proceedings under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act against criminals involved in serious crimes. The move is expected to have far-reaching ramifications on crime management in the districts.
District magistrates were so long the only officials 8212; other than the police commissioners of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot 8212; authorised to handle the PASA Act, though application was subject to the PASA Board8217;s okay. District superintendents of police could request them to apply the law but, according to sources, the request was not passed on in more than 20 per cent of the cases, triggering 8220;frustration and disgust8221; among police officers.
special IGP, Vadodara range, DD Tuteja admitted as much: 8220;District magistrates do not pass PASA orders even when they are sought by DSPs in consultation with the DMs8221;.
According to sources, the policerecommend around 1000 cases for registration under the PASA Act every year; more than 90 per cent of them are confirmed by the State government.
Talking to The Indian Express, Director-General of Police CP Singh admitted that the state government had agreed to transferring PASA invocation powers to police range in-charge. A gazette notification was likely to be issued within a week, he added.
The state government8217;s decision seems to be a victory for the IPS lobby over their IAS counterparts, who had been resisting the move to grant powers so long possessed only by the police commissioners to range in-charges, as this will considerably erode the authority of district magistrates.
However, Tuteja and district superintendent of Porbander police GC Malik, in conjunction with other senior IPS officers, reportedly took up the range police officers8217; cause at the police conference in Ahmedabad last month. They said a great deal of time was wasted in recommending and then passing PASA orders, whichimpeded police action against criminals. Malik reportedly said that none of his dozen PASA recommendations had translated into orders.
Talking to this paper on condition of anonymity, IPS officers alleged that DMs avoided referring PASA cases to the state government to escape the bother of appearing before the PASA Board in Ahmedabad.
Meanwhile, policemen in Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot would be handed out pagers soon, in line with the system already introduced in Vadodara, DGP CP Singh said on Monday. Negotiations with pager companies in this connection were at the final stages, he added.
