Assam Assembly: Bill passed to form range-level police accountability authorities

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Assam Police (Amendment) Bill, 2022, today amidst protest by Congress and the AIUDF, paving the way for setting up nine Range-level Police Accountability Authorities.

The Assam Police (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend the relevant sections of the Assam Police Act, 2007 (as amended) pertaining to the establishment, power and functions of the District Accountability Authority to make the District Accountability Authority functional in a police range comprising a group of police districts.

Congress said that Bill would create problems if passed in its present form. They said the House should send the Bill to the Select Committee of the Assembly for further amendments. The Congress members, including Debabrata Saikia, Kamakshya Dey Purkayastha and Rakibul Hussain, said that DIGs/IGPs as chairpersons of the District Police Accountability Authorities would find it difficult to take action against police officials. Senior advocates should head such police accountability authorities to shield the establishments from politics. They also said that MPs and MLAs as members of the committees would lead to political interference. They demanded the Speaker send the Bill to the Select Committee of the House for amendment.

The AIUDF legislators said the government should adopt the Kerala model in framing the Bill.

Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi said, "The Bill questions if passed in its present form, will only provide more power to the police. The Bill is not what the Supreme Court wanted it to be."

On behalf of Home Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is also the Chief Minister, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika said that the phrase 'Police Range Authority' should replace the phrase 'district police authority'. We will correct this mistake. The state has nine police ranges, and there will be as many police range accountability authorities."

Hazarika said, "DIGs/IGPs as chairpersons of such authorities will only take action against inspectors, sub-inspectors and constables. Cases against police officials above inspectors will go to the State Police Accountability Commission, Assam. Cases of serious misconduct involving inspectors and other lower-rung personnel will also go to the State Police Accountability Commission."

The Speaker then asked Congress if they would withdraw the 'amendment' they wanted in the Bill. The Opposition party refused to withdraw the amendment and staged a walkout.

The AIUDF and Akhil Gogoi also refused to withdraw the amendments they wanted in the Bill. The Bill got its passage through a voice vote.

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