Lok Sabha Question No. 4548 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-23
Subject: Functioning of Police
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kaushalendra Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4548

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23 RD      MARCH, 2021/ CHAITRA 2, 1943 (SAKA) FUNCTIONING OF POLICE

†4548.  SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the conviction rate in arrests made by the Police in criminal cases is very poor in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  functioning  of  police  is  driven  by arrogance, fear and ulterior motives like British rule of old times;
- (c) if  so,  the  reasons therefor and the steps taken by the Government so
- far to improve the situation;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  contemplating  to  bring  reforms  in  the system by using new technology; and
- (e)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) As per data maintained by National Crime Record Bureau, the conviction rate of States/UTs relating to cognizable crime under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special & Local Laws (SLL) crimes during 2017 to 2019 is 63.3, 66.6 and 66.5 respectively.

(b)  to  (e)  'Police'  is  a  State  subject  falling  in  List-II  (State  List)  of  the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. It is primarily the responsibility  of  the  State  Governments/UT  Administrations  to  make  the police force efficient & capable and its functioning more effective, transparent and accountable.

## L.S.US.Q NO. 4548 FOR 23.03.2021

The Ministry of Home Affairs circulated Model Police Act, 2006 to all State Governments which has the provision of constituting Police Accountability Commission & District Accountability Authority for ensuring accountability of the police. This Act also describes social responsibility of police. The responsibility includes display of good behaviour with members of  public  with  due  courtesy  and  decorum,  guide  and  assist  members  of public,  particularly  senior  citizens,  women,  children,  the  poor  and  indigent and physically or mentally challenged individuals found on streets or other public  places  or  otherwise.  Further,  one  of  the  directions  of  the  Supreme Court of India in the Prakash Singh case on police reforms was to constitute Police Complaints Authorities at the State and District levels for looking into complaints against police officers. These directions were forwarded to the States/UTs for its implementation.

Government  has  taken  several  steps  on  Police  reforms  which  is  an ongoing process. The Centre also issues advisories to the States to bring in the requisite reforms in the Police to meet the expectations of the people.

In order to improve the functioning of the police, the Union Government has set up various Commissions/Committees i.e. National Police Commission (1977), Ribeiro Committee (1998), Padmanabhaiah Committee (2000), Malimath Committee on Criminal Justice (2002).

Further,  the  Government  constituted  a  Review  Committee  headed  by Shri  R.S.  Mooshahary  to  review  the  recommendations  of  the  previous Commissions  and  Committees  on  Police  Reforms  in  December  2004.  The Committee submitted its report in March 2005. The Committee shortlisted 49 recommendations.     The  recommendations  of  the  Review  Committee  have been  sent  to  State  Governments  and  Union  Territory  Administrations  for taking appropriate action.

Bureau  of  Police  Research  &  Development  initiated  several  training courses, webinars and sessions for State police and investigators to improve the overall rate of conviction through training interventions & skilling them in the use of specialized evidence collection kits.

Ministry of Home Affairs included a component of 'incentives for police reforms'  in  the  implementation  structure  of  the  scheme  of  'Assistance  to States  for  Modernisation  of  Police'.  It  has  been  decided  to  keep  certain amount  each  year  for  providing  incentive/grants  to  State  Government  for implementation  of  Police  Reforms.    To  incentivize  the  implementation  of police reforms as recommended  by various committees, originally a provision of keeping up to 10% of the total annual allocation of the scheme was made.  This incentive component has been increased to 'up to 20%' of the total allocation from the year 2019-20.

Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  also  introduced  a  system  for  ranking  of Police stations since 2018. It is a two stage process where 3 Police Stations from  States  having  more  than  750  police  stations,  2  each  from  all  other States and Delhi and 1 each from Union Territories are selected from more than 16,000 Police Stations in the country on the basis of rate of conviction in  cases  of  crimes  against  women,  crimes  against  SCs/STs,  property offences  and  missing  persons,  unidentified  found  persons  &  unidentified dead bodies. In the second stage, performance measurement is done based on  parameters  like  crime  prevention  and  proactive  measures,  disposal  of cases, maintenance of public order, infrastructure assessment and citizens feedback. Personal visits  are  made  by  the  surveying  team  to  the  selected police stations for this purpose.

The  assessment  includes  considerable  focus  on  various  aspects  of infrastructure and basic amenities of police stations including solar lighting, energy saving features, Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems, CCTVs,  safe  &  secure  Armoury,  record  room,  communication  room  for wireless, computers and automated kiosks for filling of complaints by public with a back-end system for tracking follow up action.

The guidelines provide for awarding two sets of awards i.e. one for the top  3  best  police  stations  in  the  country  and  another  for  the  best  police station  in  each  State/Union  Territory.  This  initiative  has  worked  as  a demonstration  effect  for  Police  Stations  in  the  country  to  raise  their standard of performance.

## L.S.US.Q NO. 4548 FOR 23.03.2021

Government  has  taken  initiatives  of  Crime  and  Criminal  Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and Inter Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS)  to  bring  reforms  in  the  system  by  using  new  technology.  CCTNS sought  to  interconnect  all  police  stations  and  higher  police  officers  for collecting  and  sharing  information  on  crime  and  criminals  on  a  common platform. CCTNS was extended to establishment of ICJS by integrating data from  prisons,  courts,  prosecution,  forensics  and  police  with  a  view  to strengthen justice delivery system.

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