New Delhi: Pitching for a greater role for
her government in maintaining law and order in the city, Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday said the national capital must
have a "much more responsive and people-friendly" police
system that understands the sensitivities of the citizens.
Addressing a conference to discuss various provisions
the Delhi Police Act (Amendment) Bill 2010, Dikshit also
sought transfer of traffic and other "non-core" functions of
Delhi Police to the city government.
"We need a police system which is much more responsive
to the sensitivities of the common man so that citizens do not
fear to approach police," she said.
The conference was attended by Union Home Secretary G
K Pillai, Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal, ministers
Mangat Ram Singhal, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Kiran Walia and
Retd. Judge of Supreme Court Justice Arijit Pasayat, besides
representatives of various civil society groups.
There was a broad consensus in the conference on
transfer of traffic management and other non-core functions to
the city government, besides setting up of police appellate
authority in each district in the city to hear complaints
against the force.
Favouring better coordination between elected
representatives and police, Dikshit said: "It hurts us when it
is said that Delhi is the crime capital. There is need for
changing the attitude and change this perception."
Various speakers favoured separation of law and order
machinery and investigation wing and said the force should be
trained to meet the challenges thrown up by new types of
crimes.
Pillai said more than the law, its proper
implementation is the key factor. He said a lot a suggestions
have come up to improve policing in the capital and some of
them will be incorporated in the draft bill.
Dadwal said increase in population of the city,
including floating population, making crime fighting tougher.
On traffic management, he said road infrastructure has not
been augmented in keeping with rising number of vehicles.
The Conference was organised to seek the views of
various stakeholders about the Delhi Police Act (Amendment)
Bill 2010.
Delhi government has sent its final draft for
amendment in Delhi Police Act 1978 to the Home Ministry,
proposing fixed tenure for senior policemen besides defining
crimes like insurgency, militant activities, organised crime,
making of crank or hoax calls in view of new challenges of
policing.
PTI
