CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government’s decision to stall the move to have police commissioners for Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana has embarrassed the Police Department which has been enjoying Virtually unbridled powers.

The decision to have police commissioners for three major cities on the pattern of metropolitan cities had been mooted by Director General of Police K.P.S.Gill who apparently overlooked the procedure. Assistant Inspector General (Personnel) Sumed Singh Saini and Ropar Senior Superintendent of Police Rajiv Gupta were transferred as police commissioners to Ludhiana and Jalandhar, respectively, in the rank of deputy inspector general.

Contrary to the normal procedure, the orders were issued by the Police Department and not the Home department as is mandatory as per the rules for IPS officers.

Acting swiftly, the state govemment modified the orders within 24 hours and the two officers were redesignated as senior superintend dents of police following fresh orders, It has been seen as an effort by the Beant Singh govemment to assert itself and a Setback for Gill, whose current term is due to end in December.

Highly placed sources in the state government said on Thursday, “How can the police decide to appoint police commissioners, a Separate legislation was required to be enacted for introducing the system of police commissioners apart from amending the Police AcL

Gill and DGP (Intelligence) o.P.Sharma had a meeting with Chief Secretary A.S.Chatha and other senior officers in the administration on Wednesday after the Police Department issued orders by the sources said the meeting was mainly confined to the setting up of a human rights commission.

A fresh proposal on commissioners is being formulated by the police for this purpose. Legislation will beenacted only after it okayed by the Cabinet.

Saini, who was earlier Senior Superintendent of Police, Chandigarh, was reverted to his parent state following a tiff with an Army officer and he’s yet to be cleared of the charges by the Union Home Ministry.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 8, 1993