Awaiting police reforms: 

Awaiting police reforms: 

Context

Strong public opinion can move the political class in India to implement the 2006 Supreme Court directives.

Background

• The Indian Police Foundation was inaugurated to mount pressure on State governments to implement the directions of the Supreme Court on police reforms (Prakash Singh v. Union of India).
• The court in 2006 had issued seven binding directions to implement those reforms.
• It took the court a little over 10 years to give its verdict on the writ petition filed by Prakash Singh and me in 1996.
• Eleven years have passed, but States have taken only some grudging steps to implement the reforms.

Political stronghold over police

• The fact is that political authorities still have a stronghold over the police.
• The result is that the police even today is not trusted by the people.
• They perceive the force as being partisan, politicised, and generally not very competent.

Importance of implementing Lokpal

• Much of the problem would not have been if the 2013 Lokpal legislation was put in place.
• The Lokpal would have the powers to oversee the CBI’s work and would ease the burden of the court.
• Ultimately, it is only strong public opinion that can move the political class to implement the 2006 directives.
• But the police has to set examples to win public trust.
• Reform must start at home. Since the political class has a vested interest in the present system, no amount of pressure will work.

Conclusion

We will have to fall back on the judiciary, which wants an impartial and professional police force because it knows that the criminal justice system cannot function without a healthy police and investigative agency.