The Indian Justice Report (IJR) 2020 by the Tata Trusts published last month has shown an insightful analysis regarding our justice delivery system. These analyses are really important because the Rule of Law Index has put India globally at 69th position out of 128 countries.The IJR report categorises States into two broad categories (a) Large and Mid-sized (b) Small. Of course it has further stratification like UT and Unranked States. The inclusion and exclusion norm of States is based on the population. The report uses quantitative measurement of predefined indicators from four pillars of justice delivery system such as Police, Judiciary, Prison and Legal Aid.
There are two different analyses in IJR-20 report. First analysis is the general statistical findings where States are ranked on the basis of overall performance of justice delivery system in India and in second analysis, the States are ranked on the basis of specific justice delivery system.
The IJR 20 report ranks Maharashtra at the top of the table in large and mid-sized States section whereas Tripura tops in small States segment in overall ranking in justice delivery. The performance of Odisha is not so encouraging in the IJR- 20 overall analysis. Odisha has slipped from 7th position in 2019 to 11th position in 2020 in large and mid-sized States. Primarily the role of police is very important to get an entry into criminal justice system. During this pandemic, the role of police has not been confined to law and order only but it has far-reached as saviours, community workers and service providers.
Still there are possibilities to misinterpret the role of police and label as an agency to hush up evidences. As per a report by Global Corruption Barometer Asia as many as 42% people had contact with police and they paid bribe in the last twelve months. In a positive note Odisha ranks at 3rd position in Police. Odisha police ranking is scrutinized by considering the indicators like budget, human resource, diversity, infrastructure and workload. Evidence shows that the Odisha police has been controlling the Maoist activities in effective ways.
Our police personnel, either armed police or civil police, are well trained. The Odisha Government gives priority to training and spends roughly Rs 7,366 per police person training compared to Rs 8,000 in national level.
The cost of training varies from State to State. For example, Kerala State Government does not spend a single rupee on police training. Surprisingly, as per IJR -20 Report, the Odisha Government utilises only 10% of fund given by Ministry of Home Affairs under modernisation scheme. This Centrally sponsored scheme is meant to meet the expenditure on construction of new buildings and introduction of technology and equipment.
The quality of administrative supervision, alacrity to control crime and maintaining the proper law and order in society depend upon the available human resource in police department.
As per this report at national level the vacancies at constabulary level is 20%. It means one out of every five constable post is vacant in India. But in Odisha , vacancies at constabulary level has declined.
The Odisha police has only 6% of constable vacancies. In officer level Odisha has 29% vacancies compared to 33% vacancies at national level. As per the Government of India advisory, nine States including Odisha adopted 33 % of reservation for women. The State of Bihar is in a better position as far as women representation in police is concerned. One in every four police person is a woman in Bihar.
Ironically overall women representation in police is only 10% in Odisha. Odisha will take another 82 years to achieve the 33 per cent reservation for women in State Police. But in officer level women share in Odisha is 11.2 % compared to 7% women share in officer level of at national level. More female police officers in Odisha are important as they effectively manage community relationship and curb gender based violence. Odisha is not only good at gender diversity but also doing remarkably well in SC and ST representations. Scheduled caste share in constables is 93% on actual post to reserved ratio and in officer level SC representation is 76% on actual post to reserved ratio. Similarly Scheduled Tribe constables share is 121% and ST Officer representation is 60% on actual post to reserved ratio. It shows Odisha is heading in positive way for an inclusive society.
Accessibility to police assistance and easy to reach for police help can only be determined by the population coverage by a police station and its geographical area.
The IJR 2020 has analysed the accessibility on the basis of rural police station and urban police station. In Odisha a rural police station area coverage is 427 sq km and urban police station area coverage is 19 sq km. As far as population coverage is concerned a rural police station covers as many as 1 lakh population and urban police station covers 45 thousand population in Odisha. Similarly in terms of technological reach through citizen portal nearly 80% services are provided by the State police department.
A single Odisha civil police is responsible to protect 1,200 population. Still it is evident that the Police department in Odisha is effectively reducing crimes and meticulously solving the puzzled crime. Hope the Odisha police will achieve the number one position in next IJR report.
(Dr Parida is Assistant Professor, Sophitorium Group of Institutions Khordha, Mob: 845687952)