SRINAGAR: Former top police officers of the state have asked the government to constitute an expert panel which would review the draft of the Police Bill, 2013, which has caused an outrage in the public sections.
They have also asked the authorities to make clear what safeguards would the new law have to make it more “people friendly.”
“Once the Police Bill 2013 is passed, it is going to be there at least for a century as such laws are not made very often. So there is a need to make it people-friendly,” former Director General of Police (DGP), Ashok Bhan told local news agency CNS.
Bhan said the government must take steps to ensure that the Police Bill-2013 is not passed in a hush-hush manner.
“Let the government constitute a team of six or seven members known for their integrity and honesty to go over the bill. These could be people from politics, judiciary, police, media, civil society who can work in collaboration with the Home Department to re-draft the Bill,” he said, adding that the government must listen to people and not hurt their sentiments.
“After all people are the ultimate source of power. They should not feel that the Bill has been prepared to suppress them.”
While admitting that the draft contains certain clauses which can be termed as anti-people, former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police, Ali Muhammad Watali said if the government intends to empower police force, it should also make clear what safeguards the bill provides for the general public.
“Overall it is not anti-people but yes, there are certain clauses which can be termed as totally anti-people and such clauses need to be redrafted. It is the duty of the journalists to highlight the pros and cons of the bill and make people aware about its ill-effects,” Watali said.
He said most of the people have not gone through the draft and they discuss or respond to what they read in newspapers.
“Newspapers must make people aware about the contents of Police Bill-2013 to seek greater public participation on it. The bill is subject to discussion and media can play a pivotal role in this regard,” he said.
Asked as per some clauses of the bill scribes are supposed to disclose their sources, Watali said it is a myth. “It is conventional that scribes can’t be forced to reveal their sources. If it is so then we must learn about the safeguards as well,” he said.
