MRAYPI demands Govt to set up Police Accountability Commission

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 4, 2023

The Meghalaya chapter of the Human Rights & Anti-Corruption Youth Power of India (MRAYPI) on Wednesday sought the intervention of the Governor Phagu Chauhan to direct the State government to immediately set up a police accountability commission (PAC) as mandated by the State Police Act of 2010.

“…I humbly request His Excellency, the Governor of Meghalaya to kindly take up the matter with the concern Government authorities particularly with the Home Department, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to implement the Act and to establish the Accountability Commission for the interest of the State and for the end of Justice as a whole,” working president of the MRAYP Kingstone Bolwari said in a letter, which was also submitted to the deputy chief minister in-charge home (police) Prestone Tynsong.

He also urged the need to appoint the Chairperson and other members for Accountability Commission as per the provision of section 73 (2), 74(1) (2) of the Meghalaya Police Act, 2010.

Bolwari said that section 74 (2) of the Act provides that the Chairperson and the members of the Accountability Commission shall be appointed out of a panel prepared by a committee consisting of Home Minister as a Chairperson, Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of Police adding that the Section 73 (2) also states that the State Government shall within the three months of the coming into effect of this Act shall establish Accountability Commission.

The Act had come into force with effect from February 7, 2011.

The working president said that due to the absence of the accountability commission, there is no proper forum for the public in general to file the complaint against the Police atrocities, harassment and illegal detentions and it is stated that the people in general have been experiencing harassment, illegal detentions, atrocities against the public by the police personnel.

“Therefore, in order to avoid such unwarranted situations and unnecessary confrontation and in order to maintain friendly relationships between the police and the public the establishment of the police accountability commission is mandatory for the interest of the people and for the better administration of the police department,” he said.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay