Status of Police personals in India

This is quite common in India and we often read about the political use of police.  Insulting the police officer or using abuse words for them by the politicians is also becomes a happening of day to day life. This is also a common observation that in our country many times police is handled as the personal paid servant by the politicians. This is almost impossible for a common citizen to lodged a police complain against even common political worker of ruling political party. Most of the political leaders in our country are getting VIP treatment from the police.

Though this was shown in Hindi movies a politicians saying to police officer, today you are giving me treatment of criminal but remember in few days time I am going to win the election and will be sworn in as the minister, I will assure that you will get duty of my security, you will be force to salute me and your status will not be different from my pet dog. Off course this was imaginary but this is fact that most of police personals in our country are performing their duties with a kind of fear not just of the politicians, by their relatives and even the political supporters.

Here I would like   yet another scene from recently released Hindi movie Singham, Ajay Devgan performing role of police officer says “If we do our duties honestly, it will be not possible that even a footwear is stolen from the gate of temple and there are is lot of police officers who are willing to do their duty with honesty but our own department is not allowing to do them this.”

This is happening just because in our country rules of police service are allowing a very huge political interference. Police personals are appointed for the security of politicians; they have to look after the management of political meetings and gatherings of political parties. Appointment and transfers and even promotions are done by the ruling political parties.

Time has come that we should think seriously about the political pressures under which a police personal is forced to live and perform duty. This is sure that on the day police become free from the political pressures not only the crime graph will show a significant decline but a common citizen will also feel living in comparatively safer environment. What should be done?

1] There should be time bound autonomous system of transfer of police officer without political interference and consent of ruling political party.

2] No police personal should ever be appointed in own district or adjoining districts of that district through out the entire service period.

3] No police personal should be assigned security duty of politicians, even of the chief minister of the state, for the purpose every state should be allowed to constitute different streams appointing security staff in ratio of five personal to very MLA and additional 200 for the security of ministers on the tour.

4] If a MLA or minister needs more than two security personals either the political party concerned or the politician should be asked to pay the expenses?

5] As for as the political gatherings are concerned political party must get clearance from the city police authority. No police personal will be assigned duty at the meeting place, law and order situation, maintenance of peace will be responsibility of that particular politician or political party, however for the purpose service of security staff will be available to them on paid bases.

6] There should be inbuilt system or the selection board for the purpose of promotion and gallantry awards to police personals. This board should be constituted by the members of retired police officers of highest caliber, retired judges of high court and home minister of the state with present state chief of police working as the chairman of the board and signing authority.

7] This should be made compulsory for every police personal, even for the traffic police of city to submit a certificate of satisfactory service on biannual basis at least from the 100 citizens of city of service.

8] Normal transfers should be made regularly at the interval of four years in tandem through out the state and this should be done during the end of schooling year.

9] If there are more than hundred complains from the citizen against a police personal in a year annual increment must not be granted to concerned police personal.

10] There should be provision for additional salary increment for the police personals who are involved with solving the crime of higher order as fixed by the selection board.

11] No police personal should be assigned daily duty of more than 12 hours and must be allowed a weekly holiday.