By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The proposed amendment to the Meghalaya Police Act has come under scanner.
The CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing in a statement issued here on Monday, disapproving the Act, said that the sudden amendment to the Police Act which gives each State Government the power to establish its own police force is being abused.
“We have seen that investigation is failing, and crimes are rising. We have also seen a lot of extra judicial killings by Police”, Kharshiing alleged.
According to Kharshiing, the subordination of the police including investigative agencies to politicians and bureaucrats has threatened the very foundation of democratic functioning by letting the people in power or those having clout get away even with blatant violations of laws.
This also resulted in direct violations of the rights of citizens in the form of unauthorized detentions, torture, harassment, fabrication of evidence, malicious prosecutions among others.
The NGO leader pointed out that the Post of SPs of the districts is a cadre post ( appointment from among IPS officers) yet rules are flouted and non-cadres (MPS officers) are appointed in such posts obstructing promotion to others, and in almost every rank, the officers are superseded.
“This is bringing about frustration among the police force at a time when society longs for peace and security”, she said.
The CSWO also urged the Governor to refuse assent to such an amendment as this encourages a very unhealthy race amongst senior officers in the police to lobby for the top post. “It leads to erosion of standards of leadership and discipline in the police, besides disrupting its organizational structure and command system”, Kharshiing added.
