Govt serious on implementing police commissioner system: CM

BHOPAL: Six years on, the issue of introducing police commissioner system in cities of Madhya Pradesh is back in focus with the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan making the right noise in Delhi on Wednesday stating, “the government is seriously thinking on the implementing police commissioner system in the state. Will soon launch in Bhopal and Indore.”
Demand for introducing police commissioner system has gone up after a rise in crimes against women and other cases in the recent past. Police officers have been demanding implementation of the system stating lack of magisterial authority, proves to be hindrance to the cops in crisis situations.
The issue has remained a bone of contention with both IAS and IPS officers at loggerheads, primarily as the former does not want to part with its ‘magisterial’ powers and share it with their counterparts in the police.
The issue has been simmering since almost a decade with IAS officers said to be resisting the move.
While the issue has been doings rounds of the state’s administrative corridors in Mantralaya in speculations, it has been fuelled by chief minister’s statement. Chouhan is learnt to have asked the top cops about the system during a meeting in the state capital recently.
The state chief secretary BP Singh has admitted to TOI that a proposal for implementing the system is under consideration. "We have the proposal of introducing police commissioner system in the state since long. It is under discussion."
State director general of police RK Shukla said, "The matter is under consideration.”