Punjab govt to form police complaints authority

Chandigarh, Punjab government on Friday notified constitution of state police complaints authority and divisional level police complaints authorities.

The state police complaints authority would consist of a chairperson, who had been a civil services officer not below the rank of chief Secretary of the state government or secretary to the union Government or retired DGP of the state government, an official spokesman said here.

Besides, there will be two members who had served as civil servants not below the rank of Principal Secretary to the state government or police officers retired from a post not below the rank of additional DGP of the state government or persons belonging to the state of Punjab with repute and contribution in the field of academia, social work, public affairs or law, the spokesman said.

The state police complaints authority will include at least one woman as a member in case the chairperson is not a woman.

The police complaint authority at the divisional level would consist of a chairperson, retired from civil services not below the rank of Secretary to the state government or a police officer, retired from a post not below the rank of deputy Inspector General of Police.

The two members should have served as police officers not below the rank of SSP of the state government or persons belonging to the state of Punjab with repute and contribution in the field of academia, social work, public affairs or law.

The spokesman said the divisional police complaints authority will also include one woman as a member or as chairperson.

He said a person appointed as chairperson or member of the state police complaints authority or divisional police complaints authority will hold the office for three years from the date of joining the office on which he enters upon his office or till he/she will attain the age of 70 years or whichever is earlier.