WE NEED TO HAVE
A HOLISTIC APPROACH TOWARDS POLICE
REFORMS - SHEKHAWAT
Vice President, Shri
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said that police ensures security, punishment
is given by the courts, jails implement criminal reforms and people’s
sensitisation is needed for restoring the credibility of the police
and, therefore, an holistic approach is needed to evaluate the
functioning and effectiveness of the police. Shri Shekhawat was
delivering the inaugural address at "Roundtable on Police
Reforms". He elaborated that there are reforms which pertains
to police alone but implementation of these reforms will not solve
the ills of the society. Therefore, a large area of the reforms
pertains to government, Judiciary and people’s involvement. He
said if police force is provided latest weapons commensurate with
the weapons of the criminals/terrorists, if judiciary dispenses
the justice without delay and thirdly, if people cooperate with
police then police can definitely prove the effective organisation.
It is therefore, imperative that the agenda for improved governance
would include action plan for comprehensive economic reforms,
judicial reforms, administrative reforms and electoral as well
as political reforms. We cannot think of only police reforms in
isolation. In fact, that has been the reason why our efforts towards
police reforms have so far not brought expected results. He particularly
underlined the role of judiciary in early disposal of cases so
that culprits are brought to book without any delay. It will also
eliminate the possibility of witnesses going astray or turning
hostile.
Earlier, delivering
the keynote address, Justice J.S. Verma, Chairperson, NHRC said
that Right to corruption-free government is basic human right
and in order to ensure this right, civil society’s participation
in
Governance should
be enhanced. It is, therefore, needed that political will is aroused
to do what is its primary political duty.
Justice Leila
Seth introducing the theme of the conference emphasised to isolate
the police force from external pressures, need for democratising
the police force and evolving the institution of police evaluation
independent of police set up.
Shri R.S. Lodha,
President FICCI, in his welcome address said that the police reforms
are needed and now is the time to take action.
