Centre calls up meeting of UT on police reforms on Feburary 1

New Delhi, Jan 22 (UNI) The Centre would hold a high level meeting of officials of the Union Territory on February 1 to elicit their views on the Supreme Court order on police reforms and the framing of Model Police Act.

The Home Ministry has invited Chief Secretaries and Advisors of the Union Territories to attend the meeting and share their views on how to implement the Supreme Court verdict on police reforms.

The meeting is significant in view of the Supreme Court's direction asking the central and state government to implement its directions regarding the police reforms. Moreover, the Central government is also planning to bring a model draft Police Act soon for the central police and those of the Union Territories on the basis of the Soli Sorabjee Committee report.

The Supreme Court had, in its judgement of September 22, asked both the central and state governments to bring police reforms and submit their compliance report by January 3. The apex court during a hearing on January 11, had given the states and the central government time till March 31 for implementing four of the seven directions while for the remaining three they were given four weeks time.

The directions whose compliance has be to ensured within three months include thosre relating to the separation of investigation and law and order wings of the police and constitution of the Police Complaint Authority.

The government has been given just four weeks time to implement the court's direction regarding the selection and minimum tenure of the Director Generals of Police and Minimum tenure of the Inspector Generals of Police and other officials and composition of the Police Establishment Board.

Police reforms are a priority area for Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who has recently held six high level meetings to discuss in detail the issue. The meeting attended by Home Secretary V K Duggal and other senior police and legislative department officials discussed in details the various recommendations of the Soli Sorabjee Committee.

UNI