A delegation of the Manav Adhikar Surakshya Manch (MASM) led by its convenor Abani Kumar Gaya submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (SR) here on Thursday urging the Government to make the Odisha Police Bill-2015 people-friendly.
Most of the provisions of the draft Bill are contrary to the recommendations of the Supreme Court and the Bill has been prepared in haste, the memorandum said. The Supreme Court has recommended to consider appointment to the post of DGP from among the shortlisted/recommended panel of three members/experts recommended by the UPSC, but the State Government wants to appoint a person to this top post at its own discretion by exercising special power which is in gross violation of the directives of the apex court, the memorandum said.
The memorandum demanded that the Bill be uploaded in the websites and widely publicised in print and electronic media inviting suggestions from the public, experts, lawyers, civil societies, NGOs and human right activists to make the legislation people-friendly. Besides, neither the leader of Opposition nor any human right activists are recommended as members of the proposed Police Security Commission.
Similarly, the recommendations of the Supreme Court pertaining to formation of a Police Complaint Authority has been totally ignored, thereby defeating the true spirit of formation of such an authority, Gaya said. He also demanded the scrapping of Sections 51(3), 63(1) and 63(2) from the proposed Bill as these sections have given enormous power to the police to arrest a person and take him to custody without assigning any reason which is unjust as policing is a service organisation, he added.