The Government Orders to set up the Police Establishment Board and the State Security Commission will be in force till the enactment of the new Karnataka Police Act. The State Government is actively pursuing enactment of the Act, said Home Minister V.S. Acharya.
Setting aside apprehensions about the orders being in force in absence of the Act, Mr. Acharya said: “These Government Orders will remain till the Police Act comes into force. We (the State Government) are waiting for the commencement of the legislature session to start the process of enactment of the Act”.
The Supreme Court has directed the State Governments to bring in reforms in policing and enact a new Police Act. Till the enactment of the Act, the State Governments were asked to abide by six directions. This includes setting up of State Security Commission, Police Establishment Board, Police Complaint Authority and giving two-year fixed term for Director-General and Inspector-General of Police.
The Committee of the Supreme Court headed by the former Supreme Court Judge K.T. Thomas, which is looking at the implementation of the directions, recently expressed dissatisfaction over the way the State Government has followed the directions. Apprehensions were expressed over the effectiveness of the Police Establishment Board and the State Security Commission.
But Mr. Acharya said: “The committee had some apprehensions. But after meeting me it was satisfied with the work of the State Government in police reforms. We are trying to modernise the police force and taking constructive steps in bringing reforms in consultation with experts.”
Earlier, inaugurating the 39th police station of the Excise Enforcement and Lottery Prohibition Wing at Vijaynagar in Bangalore on Thursday, Mr. Acharya said the State Government was committed towards bringing transparency in the recruitment and posting of police personnel. The State Government will go by the directions of the newly formed Police Establishment Board.
The former MLA M. Krishnappa demanded that the State Government should stop meddling with posting of police personnel and act as per the directions of the Board that is headed by the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police.
Inspector-General of Police S.K. Venugopal said despite shortage of staff, the wing has been able to effectively curb manufacture and sale of fake liquor. This was reflected in the increase in the revenue for the State Government from the sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor. The State Government has earned revenue of Rs. 6,550 crore this year.
Director-General and Inspector-General of Police Ajai Kumar Singh said the process will be initiated to recruit the personnel needed for the wing.
Mr. Venugopal said the wing will have a total of 42 police stations. The second police station in Bangalore will come up in Madiwala. A police station will be set up in Chickaballapur shortly, he added.
