SC asks Julio Rebeiro for report on police reforms

NEW DELHI, July 22: The Supreme Court has directed the high-level committee headed by former police chief of Punjab, J F Ribeiro, to subm...

NEW DELHI, July 22: The Supreme Court has directed the high-level committee headed by former police chief of Punjab, J F Ribeiro, to submit a report within three months on reforms in police establishments as suggested by the National Police Commission.

The Central Government committee was asked to submit its report on setting up of a security commission in each state, prescribe a transparent procedure for appointment of police chiefs in states and insulating the investigating wing of the police from its law and order functions. While adjourning the case for August 18, a three-judge bench comprising Justice S C Agrawal, Justice S P Bharucha and Justice B N Kirpal on a petition filed by former Uttar Pradesh police Chief Prakash Singh and two others seeking implementation of the recommendations of National Police commmission and various other commissions including National Human Rights Commission.

The three points on which the Ribeiro committee, set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs on May 25 this year,would submit a report were suggested by petitioner’s counsel Shanti Bhushan.

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Appearing for the government, solicitor general Santosh Hegde submitted that government has asked the committee to submit its report on various aspects within six months. Counsel for NHRC, F S Nariman submitted that the court should pass an interim order on these three aspects after the committee gives a report. Other members of the committee headed by Ribeiro are former Madhya Pradesh chief secretary Nirmala Buch, former Intelligence Bureau director Arun Bhagat and advocate Prabha Shankarnarayan.

Among other things, the committee was asked to review action taken by the Central and state governments for implementation of the recommendations of the National Police Commission, Law Commission, NHRC and Vohra committee.

The government has asked the committee to suggest ways and means for implementation of the pending recommendations of the committees.