By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Security Commission formed by the Congress-led Government has been rendered as a toothless body with the recent amendment of the Meghalaya Police Act which restricts senior police officials, serving both in the State and outside and holding the rank and pay of Meghalaya DGP, from becoming the State police chief.
It was at the end of 2011 that the Government formed the State Security Commission to primarily decide on matters related to the selection and appointment of the State DGP.
A member of the State Security Commission informed that the Commission was neither consulted nor a meeting was called to discuss the amended Bill before it was passed by the Assembly.
The Government hurriedly passed the Meghalaya Police (Amendment) Bill, 2013 in the just concluded Assembly session which will in turn prevent eligible Meghalaya police officials to become the police chief of the State.
By passing the Bill, the Government also clipped the wings of the State Security Commission as there is no other choice for the Commission than to follow the amended rule.
The Commission never met this year and the last meeting was held sometime towards the end of last year.
When contacted, Senior Advocate VGK Kynta, who is a member of the Commission, was not available for comments. It was learnt that the validity of the present Commission will expire only in 2014.
“When a panel for selection of officers to the post of Director General of Police is recommended by the State Security Commission and such panel has been utilized for appointment of Director General of Police, the validity of the panel so prepared and utilized will expire,” the amended Bill said, adding that should an eventuality arise for appointment for a new Director General of Police, a fresh panel will need to be prepared.
According to the amended Bill, “Once an officer (otherwise eligible for consideration) is appointed to a post in the rank and pay of Director General of Police anywhere, he should not be considered for the inclusion in the panel again”.
The Government amended the Meghalaya Police Act, 2010, adding the new provision which said that “the name of any officer, who has been appointed to a post either under the Central Government or any State Government in the rank and pay of Director General of Police, shall not be considered for inclusion in the subsequent panels to be prepared by the State Security Commission.”
The amendment also says that “the validity of the panel of names prepared shall expire immediately after the panel has been utilized for appointment of a Director General of Police.”