West Regional Consultation for fine-tuning the draft Model Police Act as an alternate to
The Tamil Nadu Police (Reforms) Act 2013
Saturday, 18th March 2017, Coimbatore.
The consultation was organised by Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation (HRF), Coimbatore Human Rights Forum (CHRF) and Campaign for Custodial Justice & Abolition of Torture (CCJAT) at Cauvery Hall, Hotel Park Inn, Geetha Hall Road.
Mr. S. Vijayashankar, Sr. Co-ordinator, HRF gave the welcome speech and explained the difference between the seven directives given by the Supreme Court in the Prakash Singh case and how the Tamil Nadu Police (Reforms) Act 2013 has diluted the objective of the Supreme Court’s effort to make the police department transparent and accountable. Mr. M. Jeeva, Convenor, CCJAT chaired the consultation and spoke about the Campaign strategies and the action points to be framed. Advocate V.P. Sarathi, Chairperson, CHRF spoke about the salient features and concerns of Draft Model Police Act.
Representatives of all major political parties, human rights activists, Public Prosecutors, advocates participated and gave their inputs on the Draft Model Police Act circulated to them. Participants suggested to organise a State Level Consultation on the Draft Model Police Act to finalise it after discussing the suggested changes and inclusions.
It was unanimously agreed by the participants that:
- The present Tamil Nadu Police (Reforms) Act 2013 is not in line with the directives given by the Supreme Court in Prakash Singh case and hence it should be struck down.
- The basic features of the new act should not give any new coercive powers to police.
- An independent and transparent State Security Commission should be created through the new law.
- Independent Police Complaints Authority should be established at the District and the State Level.
- Police Act need not reflect already existing provisions in criminal laws.
- Any police officer found to breach the DK Basu guidelines should be punished.
- Law and order and Investigation should be separated.
- It was resolved to advocate and lobby with the political parties and elected representatives of Tamil Nadu assembly to amend Tamil Nadu Police Reforms Act.
- The representatives of the political parties assured to make necessary amendments in the Tamil Nadu Police (Reforms) Act 2013 to make it comply with the seven directives of Supreme Court and to include this as a subject in their election manifesto in the forthcoming local body elections.
