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Part-V

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CHAPTER I

Views of a section of IPS officers

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As fallout of the Shohrabuddin and Kausarbi encounter case, most of the

IPS officers serving at middle and higher echelon of hierarchy in the

Gujarat police have become wary and they do not allow their sub ordinate

staff to take risk of being charged with human rights violation. This is what

the researcher found during interaction with some of them. It is clearly

observed that the controversy over some encounters in the recent past has

its impact on the minds of all the officers with whom the researcher

interacted as part of the present study. They were easily accessible to the

researcher and they open-mindedly discussed various problems of the

constabulary and the relevant issues ranging from human rights to ―orderly‖

system.

One IPS officer of rank of IGP frankly conceded that he used to be strict

with the criminals in his early career as an assistant supreme of police; he

used to be stern against the accused involved in vehicle theft and house

burglary. But the harrowing experiences; some police officers in police men

from a constable to Director General level officials to change their mindset

and style of functioning. In other words every IPS officer interviewed by

the researcher expressed his/her views against physical torture popularly

known as ―third degree‖ against an accused for eliciting confession. The y

insisted upon taking recourse to the sophisticated scientific

methods/technologies of investigation in place of brutal practices.

Out of 15 IPS officers the researcher contacted 11 officers are of the view that the

emolument being paid to the lower rung police personnel is adequate. However,

they believe that the constables are overstretched and their working hours are very

high. This is attributable to shortage of staff according to most of the senior police

officers.

They concede that a constable serving as an orderly, should not be asked to work

as a domestic servant

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As regard, discipline they expressed their displeasure against some of their

colleagues who impose penalty on the erring constables without adhering to the

principle of Natural justice.

The Gujarat police is partially equipped to meet the challenges thrown by the

terrorist groups all over India including Gujarat, this what the senior officers

believe. They feel that overall caliber of the constabulary is mediocre and there is

a need to improve their skills and knowledge to keep pace with the modern era.

Chart-16

Chart-17

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chart-18

Chart-19

Satisfaction with Performance of lower rung policemen

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Chapter II

Recapitulation and conclusion

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Recapitulation and conclusion

The researcher developed special interests in the basic ground level

problems of the constabulary in Gujarat after observing their attitude

towards the public and trying to understand the reasons for distrust between

the police and the common people both as a citizen and a Government

officer having served in different departments of the state secretariat

including a short stint in Home department. The researcher acquired

rudimentary knowledge of functions of the police, its hierarchy and internal

problems while dealing with complaints from the general public and other

matters pertaining to the police force. The emerging statuses and roles of the

police have been drawing attention of sociologists in the recent years even

though the subject, prima facie, belongs to public administration. There is no

denying the fact that the importance of sociological analysis has surpassed

the piecemeal efforts made by other disciplines.

The prevalent charges against the police are of rampant corruption,

extortion, arrogance, brutality and their connivance with the anti social

elements like bootleggers and gamblers. There is a popular belief that a man

in khaki lacks in humility and humanism. A lay man looks down upon a

police man with disdain because being victim of harassment and humiliation

at the hands of a police man once in a while on one or the other ground.

Even after sixty years of political freedom from the British raj, the vestiges

of the colonial rule are seen in the style of functioning of the police and a

lay man still fears the police so much so that one would normally avoid

approaching it to lodge a genuine complaint on house burglary, vehicle theft

and criminal intimidation by a known notorious element dangerously active

in a local area since he does not have confidence in the police that treats a

complainant like criminal and a criminal like an esteemed guest at police

station. This is not to suggest that the police constables are always at faul t

and they are devoid of virtues like politeness and benevolence.

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The other side of the coin is that lower rung personnel of the police force-the

constabulary faces a plethora of difficulties and problems at Zero ground

level and totally one sided negative picture of the constabulary presented in

the films, media, public seminars and conferences is unjust and unfair and

has widen a wedge between the police and the public. The champions of

human rights, sociologists, public leaders and the research schola rs in

various disciplines have yet to look in to the entire problem of a growing

gap between police and public from this angle.

The conviction that without objective assessment and proper understanding

of a socio economic profile of the constabulary; harmony and rapport

between the general public and the men in khaki uniform can not be

established, has prompted the researcher to undertake an in-depth study of

basic problems and ground level difficulties faced by the lower rung police

personnel-the constabulary in Gujarat. The present study has a focus on

working and living conditions of the constabulary in Gujarat, some of the

inherent weakness associated with the existing police system and remedial

measures taken by the state Government and measures required to be taken.

A Brief History of the Constabulary

This word is derived from a Latin word ―Constabularies‖. In the Indian

context, a simple connotation associated with the word, ―Constabulary‖

could be explained as follow.

An organized body of lower rung police men who are recruited in the force

through a well established procedure by a government agency. Constable is

defined as a police officer of the lowest grade in Section (4) of The

BOMBAY Police Act-1951.

A man used to wander in search of his various needs in the ancient age but

slowly and gradually the formation of tribal units took place as part of

development of social life which naturally resulted in to some restrictions

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his activities and movements. Social norms were not adequate to establish

orderliness in the tribes and a need started being felt for establishment of

authority which could impose restrictions by creating a sense of fear among

the members of the tribes. With the emergence of concept of a ― state‖ the

evolution of police system took place as controlling authority of a state.

The rulers in subsequent periods having felt a need for an organized

controlling authority; created their police forces under different

nomenclatures.Kautiya/Chankya is considered to be a pioneer of well

organized police system, bureaucracy and economics in our country. The

Mughal Empire in India established ―Kotwal‖ institute and some of the

terminologies introduced for the police system by the Mughals and their

predecessors are still prevalent in the constabulary. Some of the glaring

examples of such usages are: - ―SALAM‖, ―KHERIAT‘, ―KHATIAN‖ and

―KOTWALI‖, etc.

However, the genesis of the modern Police force and policing in India, lies

in the Police Act of 1861which was enacted for regulating and reorganizing

the police force and to transform it in an effective instrument for prevention

and detection of crime and to maintain law and order. After Independence

this Act was continued for governance and effective policing. This Act was

extended to various states of India including Maharashtra/Gujarat vide

Bombay Act of 1954 and Act 11of 1960, section 87 (w.e.f. May

1960).Bombay Police Act came into force for consolidation, regulation and

amalgation of police forces into a single force in the pre reorganized state of

greater Bombay. As is well known Gujarat emerged as a separate state on 1st

May 1960.The Gujarat Police Act has been drafted and it is in the pipeline,

yet tobe officially enacted and notified.

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Police public Relations

A Police man on duty at a police station or at a public place can either

enhance or tarnish overall image of the entire force through positive attitude

and decent behavior or boorish manners and belligerent atti tude with the

general public. It is not always possible for the police to please all the

parties on a particular issue; since it has to take actions as per the law of the

land. A mature police man would act objectively and maintain equidistance

from the opposite parties. This demands a great deal of knack and it also

requires fairness and judiciousness to fulfill people‘s expectations from the

police. However it is not always feasible to keep all of people in a humorous

mood all of time because of nature of a police man‘s duty. Politeness and

patient hearing from a police man can provide a healing touch to an

aggrieved party. There is a common grouse against the police that a known

criminal is treated like an esteemed guest and a lay man approaching a

police man in connection with a most genuine complaint is treated shabbily

at a police station.

The researcher found during his visits to a number of police stations that the

situation has considerably changed in the past one decade. A P.S.O at a

police station behaves courteously while attending a telephonic call.

However, a police constable/head constable would behave arrogantly,

authoritatively and discourteously with both a complainant and an accused at

police station.. Almost one third of the approximately one thousand police

personnel interviewed by the researcher tend to lose their equan imity while

dealing with the general public. At the same time young police men ranging

from constables to Police sub inspectors at various police stations have been

found to inculcate a habit of maintaining equanimity even in the midst of a

tense situation. The researcher came across a good number of young P.S.Is

in police stations in Jamnagar, Kheda‘, Rajkot, Junagadh and Panchmahal

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districts; who have developed a skill to do a balancing act despite long duty

hours and stressful job.

The State Government has also initiated certain measures to narrow the gap

between the police and the public. Holding of ―Lok darbars‖ at police station

level and .S.P. and DIG/IGP level, visits of school children to police stations

and annual celebration of traffic week in big cities of the state have brought

the police and the public near to each other since such programs provide an

opportunity to both the parties to air their genuine difficulties and problems

to find out mutually acceptable solutions to such problems.However, it is

also found that undesirable elements like bootleggers and gamblers manage

to project themselves as social workers and they are invited as participants

in ―Lok darbars‖ at some of the police stations. By and large the efforts to

narrow a gap between the police and the public are successful. It could be

summed up that there has been a discernible positive transformation in

police public relations in comparison with the scenario prevailed two

decades ago when a constable was considered to be a symbol of authority

and arrogance and the rural folk feared him so much so that his entry in a

tiny village would make the local inhabitants scared. Today the position is

that even villagers have also become somewhat aware of their rights and a

beat jamadar can not frighten them as he used to do about twenty years ago.

This is indeed a healthy sign and is in the larger interests of the society since

it fosters democratic spirit.

Seventy one per cent of the interviewed police personnel believe that the

police public relations are good and the public reactions to the performance

and functions of the police are positive.Whereas, twenty nine per cent of the

police personnel believe that the public reactions to their performance are

not favourable.

The common people and those who are active in social services interviewed

by the researcher, also concede that there is a noticeable change in the style

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of functioning of the constabulary but they also feel that there is an iota of

arrogance and authoritianism associated with the khaki uniform in over fifty

per cent of the police personnel.

The researcher has come to the conclusion that good relations can be always

reciprocal and not one sided efforts. The publication of citizen charter by

every district Police has created somewhat awareness among the educated

people on their rights and duties in respect of police functions. Similarly

there are avenues for improvement in the behavior and attitude of the

constables in Gujarat. A proper and scientific training during the pre-service

trainings for the constables/PSIs may bring about a remarkable change in

Police Public Relationship in Gujarat.

Human Rights:-

The concept of human rights is believed to have been visualized in the

Europe and there is a popular thinking that the developing countries adopted

it to keep in pace with the modern thinking of democratization of a state.

However, the ancient Indian cultural ethos conceptualized human rights and

well being of the humanity as a whole without discrimination on any ground

including territorial boundaries.

―Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam‖-meaning the entire world is one family. ―Ano

bhadrah Yantu Vishvatah‖, meaning let noble thoughts come to us from all

directions. These quotes from Rig Veda speak volumes of the Indian

philosophy of wishing welfare of the entire world. Thus, roots of human

rights are found in the ancient Indian literature. In the European context, the

concept of human rights seem to have emerged from the MagnaCarta, a

document of certain rights conceded by the king of England to the barons

who were virtually up in arms against heavy doses of taxes in the beginning

of the thirteenth century.

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After the word war II was over in the year 1944, global awareness against

torture of prisoners of war and genocide on the ground of belonging to a

particular clan resulted in to official declaration of universal acceptance of

human rights under the aegis of the United Nations. The Universal

Declaration of Human Rights on 10th

December 1948 is the most important

event in the history of the post word war. The most notable feature of this

declaration is ―All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and

rights‖-The article 1 of UDHR.

In the Indian context, the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution

provide leverage to the citizens to get protection from exploitation,

discriminations and unreasonable restrictions from the state.

The Human Rights Protection Act 1993, constitution of National Human

Rights Commission and State Human Rights Commissions are the measures

aimed at ensuring protection of basic rights of the citizens from all quarters

including the law enforcing authorities like the police.

Having perused the annual reports of the Gujarat State Human Rights

Commission, the researcher has come to the conclusion that the commission

is indeed sensitive to the genuine complaints pertaining to human right

violation. Some of the exemplary cases pertaining to redressal of grievances

of the common people speak volumes of its appreciable style of functioning.

Though there is a discernible change in the attitude of the police in Gujarat,

towards the public it is found during the present research that some of police

personnel from the rank of a constable to a Deputy Superintendent of Police

brazenly use foul language and behave rudely not only with an accused but

also with a complainant. The number of such rude police men is small , but it

burnishes overall image of the constabulary. There are rare cases of

custodial torture which could be attributed to stressful conditions and pushes

and pulls under which the constables have to work.

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There is a great deal of awareness about the legal and constitutional

provisions on human rights of the accused among the young constables and

Police sub inspectors besides a fear of media especially the private channels

and the news papers who are hyper active in publicizing any case of human

rights violation by the police. Moreover, nationwide controversies over the

alleged fake encounters of Shohrabuddin and his female companion Kausar

bibi and a witness in the case, Tulsi Prajapati and subsequent actions by the

C.B.I. against the police officers, have scared the police constables in

Gujarat so much so that they remain extra cautious in dealing with even the

hardcore criminals.

Though, the Ahmadabad city crime branch has earned a bad name following

serious charges of fake encounters in 2004—05 and extortion racket run by

some of the police men, It can be concluded that the overall situation on the

human rights front in Gujarat is satisfactory and the lower rung police

personnel barring few exceptions, keep away from physical torture of the

petty criminals. They prefer to get the cases of theft, house burglary chain

snatching detected through strict interrogation only.

Out of the one thousand police constables approximately, interviewed by the

researcher almost seventy five percent are of the opinion that there is no

large scale human rights violation in police stations of Gujarat. However, it

is found that many a times the aggrieved parties expect police to be harsh

with the accused of burglary, vehicle theft and chain snatching etc.

During visits to a number of police stations as part of the present research, it

is observed that there is no serious violation of human rights by the Gujarat

Police. Even the persons facing charges of Promoting Naxalism in south

Gujarat are treated as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court in D.K.BASU

V/S the Govt. of West Bengal.

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The Police Reforms

The crux of the police reforms is to secure professional indepe ndence of the

force from the executive and political wings of the Govt.

However, like other states of the country, Gujarat state has also not taken

initiatives in implementing recommendations of various police reforms

commissions. It cannot be said that there is no political interference in

transfers and postings of both lower rung and senior police officers. It seems

that the issue of police reforms is not considered to be serious enough to

give weighting and priority. Organizing various programs like visi ts of

school children to police stations and sports events w ith the help of NGOs

are considered to be a part of police reforms.

The post of Additional Director General of police (Police Reform) is

considered to be a ―side posting‖. For a senior IPS officer whom the state

government is not inclined to assign any executive Job for the time being.

Most of the senior police officers whom the researcher talked to as part of

the present research are of the opinion that the police reforms are fine on

papers but in the given political system it is not feasible to implement most

of the recommendations.

The researcher has come to the conclusion that so far as the problems of

the lower rung police personnel- the Constabulary are Concerned the only

reforms which are required to be implemented are to provide them basic

facilities like housing, healthcare, education to their children and concrete

measures to reduce their work load and actual duty hours.

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Housing Facilities

The problem of housing facilities to the constabulary is the most sensitive

and burning issue and it seems to have been taken up in right earnest by the

Govt. of Gujarat.

During the colonial rule, the police constables used to live in tiny houses

which were actually one room kitchen accommodation sufficient enough for

a single person and not for an entire family. In the pre-independence period,

stables were converted into residential quarters for the costables.The

vestiges of the British Raj are still found in some of the police lines which

are yet to be renovated. The researcher was shown the residential quarters

converted from stables in Gondal town of Rajkot district near a local police

station. These quarters are not only too small to accommodate a middle siz ed

family but also claustrophobic and bathrooms and latrines of this police line

are not large enough to accommodate even a moderately obese person. The

residential quarters in the old police line in Ahmadabad city are also not in

good conditions.

However, Gujarat State Police Housing Corporation has been playing a

significant role to mitigate the housing problems of the constabulary sine its

inception in 1988. The researcher found during his visits to the police

quarters in some of the districts that Gujarat State Police Housing

Corporation has indeed carried out construction of quarters more efficiently

than R & B dept. with the result that the availability of residential quarters

for the constabulary is almost 78%. The police constables who reside in the

quarters built by Gujarat Police Housing Corporation are by and large happy

and satisfied with their accommodation. The findings clearly suggest that

satisfaction level of the constables in respect of housing facility is

approximately 80% and the claim of the corporation with regard to

satisfaction of the constables is not indeed exaggerated. As evident from the

fact that 86% of the police personnel out of 584 who filled up a structured

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questionnaire for the present research reside in govt quarters and they have

expressed full satisfaction over housing facility provided to them.

This is not to suggest that the overall picture is quite rosy. The

maintenance of the quarters is found to be far from satisfactory. Merely

construction of quarters is not enough and repairing and retrofitting should

be carried out periodically. It is found during a visit to Navsari police line

that lack of cleanliness and maintenance in the lines is the major weakness

resulting in to inconveniences and hardships to the family members of the

constables.

It can be concluded that the housing facility for the constabulary in

Gujarat is by and large satisfactory and it is likely to improve further thanks

to appreciable work being done by Gujarat Police Housing Corporation. A

comparison between the quarters constructed prior to inception of Gujarat

Police Housing Corporation in 1988 and the quarters erected by the said

corporation clearly proves that there has been a qualitative change in the

housing facility for the constabulary in Gujarat during the last two decades.

Education:

In the present societal milieu, the police constables also cherish a dream of

making their siblings, doctors, engineers, or government officers by getting

them educated in the schools and colleges of repute. Howeve r, exorbitant

fees and other related expenses charged by self-financed educational

institute arte not affordable to most of the lower police personnel despite a

considerable improvement in their economic conditions following

implementation of the sixth pay commission. Only a small number of the

lower rung police personnel servinging at somewhat lucrative branches /

police stations or extra income from family property can manage to get their

children educated at the institutes of choice. The rest of the cons tables have

to make compromise with quality of education for their children and they

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have to depend upon either Government run schools or ordinary schools

which charge comparatively less fees. This situation compels them to take

recourse to corruption and bribery. The researcher found during the present

study that a small number of constables posted at lucrative places are able to

send their children to a foreign university also.

The objective of providing proper education to the children is to get them

wriggled out of a hard life associated with a constable‘s family. The findings

of the study suggest that there is a dire need for establishment well managed

schools exclusively for children of the constables at district level and

residential school at the state level, just as children of army jawans get an

opportunity tobe educated at CBSE run schools at different places of their

posting all over the country.

As regard education of the police personnel, it is found that out of the 584

police personnel who opted to fill up a structured questionnaire, 8% of the

constables have studied less than 10th

standards, 49% of them have education

between SSC and HSC; 11% are under graduate and 32 % possess

graduation or more than that.

The researcher has also concluded that barring a few exceptions, the police

personnel either lose interest in pursue further study after getting a job in the

force or do not get time to do so because of arduous nature job.

The Problems of Women Police Constables:

A good number of women have joined the police force during the last decade

because of reservation policy of the government and there is no denying the

fact that women constables have proved their worth by working hard as their

male counterparts in the force. Mahila police stations have been established

almost in every city and district of the state, but it is an irony that the crime s

like murder, decoity, house burglary, and theft etc. are not registered at

Mahila police stations and only the complaints regarding harassment of a

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woman for dowry under section 198 (A) of IPC are taken cognizance of at

mahila police stations, and it confines the role of a woman police constable

serving at a full-fledged mahila police station to register crimes against

women. Having visited mahila police stations at Jamnagar, Junagarh,

Ahmedabad, and Nadiad, the researcher has come to the conclusion that the

mahila police stations are not full fledged and except Ahmedabad city there

is no facility like vehicle with the result a woman police officer has to t ravel

either by a hired rickshaw or own two wheeler for investigation and

attending a court.

A separate rest room for women police constables has to be constructed at

police stations as per guidelines of the central government under

modernization of police fund. However, it is found that such a facility is

available only at the newly constructed police stations and at other police

stations the women constables have to face hardships.

Moreover, they have to adjust themselves with their male colleagues in the

force who are ill mouthed and brazenly use vituperative language against the

accused in the presence of women police constables. It requires a great deal

of courage, patience, and forbearance for a woman police constable to

accompany male constables in a state of inebriation during bandobast and

kaidi party. However, women PSIs and the officers above this rank are able

perform their duty confidently and without much difficulties because of

working culture of discipline and obedience associated with the pol ice force.

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Health Problems and Health Care:

It is observed during the research that the constables above the age of 35 are

susceptible to certain ailments like hypertension, diabetes, depression, and

hyperacidity etc. which could be attributable to work load and mental stress.

Most of the police personnel have to be on their toes for more than 12 hours.

Similarly, the traffic police constables are susceptible to respiratory diseases

due to an enormous increase in the carbon emission from vehicles in b ig

cities and towns.

These findings have been corroborated with the records of medical officers

at Gujarat Police Welfare Hospital, Ahmedabad during the researcher‘s visit.

The Police welfare Hospital at Ahmadabad is not found to be fully equipped,

and it faces shortage of medicines owing to meager budgetary provisions. It

serves the limited purpose of providing primary health care only and the

indoor section of the hospital remains virtually without patients. The police

personnel and their family members get treatment as out door patients only

due to shortage of medicines and inadequate facilities.

Health check-up camps for police personnel are periodically organised in

different districts. However, at district level there no exclusive health care

facility for the police personnel and therefore most of them have to get

medical treatment from private hospitals since the government health care

centers and hospitals remained over crowded with civilians.

A need is felt for providing separate health care facility for the police men at

district level either on the lines of State Reserved Police Group /

Headquarters or in collaboration with the private health care centres.

The Police Welfare Hospital at Ahmadabad is required to be upgraded so

that the very purpose of its establishment does not get defeated. Moreover,

there is a need for modern private hospitals in cities, charge exorbitantly

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which no police man can afford. The Govt may consider providing medical

care to police personnel at a reasonable rate by enter ing into M.O.U. with

these hospitals.

Traffic management in cities and police public attitudinal

problems:

Traffic bottleneck at all kinds of roads is a common scene in big cities and

towns. With development and expansion of cities like Ahmedabad,

Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, etc. The traffic issue becomes more and more

ticklish the root of which lies in the enormous increase in vehicles on roads

and more importantly lack of civic and road sense among the educated

people who drive vehicles on a wrong side at crossings to get a short-cut for

reaching a particular spot even during peak hours. The teenager siblings of

influential and affluent persons including senior government officers

consider it their birth right to drive four wheelers recklessly without having

been in possession of a driving license resulting into serious accidents on

busy traffic roads. This has become a common malaise for the traffic police

constables in all cities of the state.

Some police men also violate traffic rules brazenly and thereby make

mockery of traffic management. Fashionable number plates in violation of

the traffic rules are used on private vehicles of some police constables

creating a bad impression of the entire police force

Bicycles have been replaced by two wheelers especially motor cycles during

the last decade and the school and college students enjoy bike race putting in

jeopardy not only their lives but also that of the passers by.

The traffic problem is not confined to cars and motor bikes but also chakdas,

rickshaws, cool vans, and luxury buses in all cities and small towns also.

What is popularly known as subtle rickshaws and chakdas cater to

transportation needs of commuters and other people residing in outskirts of

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big cities in the absence of adequate public transport facilities besides

proving livelihood to a number of urban youth. However, this causes

increase of carbon emission and air pollution affecting health of the local

people. Besides these rickshaws, chakdas and matador type of vehicles used

for public transport carry passengers like cattle in a big cage in flagrant

violations of traffic rules. Most of the drivers of such vehicles do not

possess driving license and RTO badge. But this is ticklish issue without a

permanent solution since the common people are heavily dependent on this

system, and whenever police becomes strict with the erring rickshaw and

jeep drivers the commuters have to bear the brunt. It is also an open secret

that it a source of extra income for the traffic police. This problem could be

resolved only if adequate public transport facilities are created by the state

government in cities like Vododara, Bhavnagar, Surat and Ahmadabad.

What is more shocking is that the traffic rules are more violated than being

observed and a section of the violators consider themselves above law on the

ground of being close to political leaders, senior police officers , and enter

into altercation with the traffic police at traffic points. Such incidents are

very common. Under these circumstances, traffic police constables are

required to act toughly and tactfully. It is found that at least during peak

hours in the cities the traffic police constables remain present at their

allotted points and manage traffic rush deftly. As regard their behavior it is

observed that most of the constables have learnt the skill of maintaining

equanimity even during tense moments.

However, they do not carry out vehicle checking and observance of traffic

rules like wearing safety belt, helmet , and possession of a valid license

systematically and uniformly. The researcher observed while commuting

between Gandhinagar and Satellite area of Ahmedabad for almost a year that

the traffic constables haphazardly prevent two wheeler riders for inspection

of a driving licence, helmet, and vehicle registration documents, insurance

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papers etc. They prevent some vehicle drivers for checking on S.G. highway

in Ahmedabad and recover fine and simultaneously allow some defaulters to

go scoot free and thereby losing credibility and respectability in the eyes of

the lay men. In view of growing threat of terrorism, vehicles entering big

cities are required to be checked to prevent undesirable elements from

carrying out their nefarious designs. However, Periodical / intermittent

vehicle check up drives do not serve any purpose except getting income by

way of penalty from the traffic rules violators and undue publicity in the

media, but it results into widening a wedge between the police and the

public since it puts the citizens in to hardships and inconveniences while

goining to the place of their work.Moreover, some traffic constables are

found to ride bikes with two pillion riders and also using cell phone while

riding a bike in violation of traffic rules.

It is necessary that traffic rules are observed by the constables themselves.

Instead of intermittent vehicle checking drives, the traffic police should

make it a permanent exercise so that the people get accustomed to it and

become more alert towards traffic rules.

The traffic booths created for shelter to the constables during summer and

rainy seasons are not regularly maintained and some booths in big cities are

in dilapidated conditions without being used by the traffic police. Traffic

constables and the jawans of the home guard are found to perform their duty

without any shelter during peak hours in hot days at a number of traffic

points and they quietly move away to a nearby tree or pan shop for gossiping

as soon as traffic rush is cleared at about 11a.m. The traffic police have to

face shortage of equipments despite the fact that there is no shortage of fund,

i.e. what transpired during discussion with the concerned senior police

officer as part of the present study. This problem is required to be addressed

urgently otherwise the issue of traffic management will continue to cause

malaise to the police and public.

- 207 -

It is also observed that annual celebration of traffic awareness week in big

cities yields limited results in terms of success in inculcating discipline and

traffic sense among the citizens since it organized as part routine exercise

monotonously with focus on publicity and propaganda rather than making

common people interested in actively participating in it.

It could be concluded that the traffic police makes every possible efforts to

keep the road safe but the lower rung personnel are not well trained to tackle

the traffic violators objectively and impartially. Traffic branch is considered

to be somewhat lucrative and it is observed that a section of the constabulary

and home guard jawans makes extra efforts to get themselves posted to this

branch for extra income.

A need is felt to focus on scientific training to the constables on attitudinal

and behavioral problems on the lines of the jawans of Central Industrial

Security Force who behave decently while making the passengers at the

airports adhere to the rules strictly.

Working Conditions: Pay and Perks

It is found during interactions/personal interviews and filling of structured

questionnaires as part of the present study that the constables are allotted duty on

shift basis but they have to work virtually for 12 to 15 hours a day and even after

performing a night duty they have to report at 11.00 am the next day at their

respective working place. Thus the constables are over worked and burdened so

much so that it has deleterious effect on their mind and body.

There is a provision for payment of leave salary up to the rank of assistant sub

inspector in Gujarat for performing duty on public holidays and this is indeed a

source of incentive for them to work to their fullest capacity.

The constables in all the seven police ranges of Gujarat are found to be

overstretched because of longer and odd duty hours. There is need for creation of a

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separate Bandobast police/Protocol police force so that the police men could pay

attention to their basic duties of investigation and control law & order. Today the

position is that the police men have to attend duties in connection with various

types of bandobasts at least once a week , resulting in to an adverse impact on their

routine responsibilities and duties.

The feeling of dissatisfaction is noticed in a section of the police constables over

fixation of their salary on pay to pay scale by the state government vide finance

department‘s G.R. at 12/2/2009 as part of acceptance and implementation of the

sixth pay commission of Government of India with effect from 1st June 2006.

(Appendix-II)

Their demand was to get pay scale of Rs.3050-75-3950-80-4590 in place of the

scale of Rs.2750-70-3800-75-4000 which was with effect from 1st January 1996 to

30th

May 2006 i.e. prior to implementation of the sixth pay commission.

However, as per the scale to scale fixation; (APPENDIX-II-I) the constables in

Gujarat are getting pay band 1 with grade pay of Rs.1800. Had the fixation been

done as per their long pending demand their scale would have been pay band 2

with grade pay of Rs.1900. A senior police officer pointed out this anomaly to the

researcher during interaction with him as part of the present study.

The researcher found during conversation with constables while getting the

questionnaires filled at different police stations that most of the constables are

ignorant of fact and they seem to be satisfied with their present emoluments as per

the recommendation of sixth pay commission. However, those who are aware of

this issue aired their grievances strongly and expressed their readiness to forgo

leave salary in lieu of acceptance of their long pending demand of a higher pay

scale which will have long term financial benefits.

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Posting and Transfer: Organizational Problems

There are some slots in the district police and the commissionerate of police in big

cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot and also in the office of the

Range IGs/DIGs which are considered to be significant and are always sought for

being posted by ambitious police personnel who not only want to make a visible

dent in the society but also want to make fast buck.

A posting in the detection of crime branch and traffic branch in the

commissionerate, rapid response cell in the office of a range IG/DIG, quick

response cell and local crime branch is considered to be ―a jackpot‖ by the police

personnel ranking from a constable to a police inspector.

However, it does not necessarily mean that posting in such so called significant

places fetch undue advantages for all. There are some honest and upright police

constables who seek placement to such slots not out of greed for pecuniary

benefits but out of zeal to prove their efficiency and capability as a police

constable.

It is found during interview of a number of police constables that there is a general

impression that the so-called significant slot in the police are occupied by some

influential police personnel having powerful links with political leaders and senior

police officials.

The researcher made attempt to study this phenomenon objectively without an iota

of prejudgment and observed that the general impression regarding placement of

influential police personnel at so-called important slots in the LCB, R.R. cell,

DCB,S.O.G. and traffic branch is at least partially correct. The researcher found

some specific cases of such places being occupied by some notorious police men

for quite a long period ranging from 7 to 10 years. However; there are IPS officers

who issue posting orders purely on merits without any extraneous considerations.

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There is a need to frame rules/guidelines to prevent placement of any police

officer for more than 5 to 7 years throughout his career to some of these lucrative

slots even if such a posting is made intermittently. The total number of years

should not exceed the prescribed time limit through his service. This may prevent

degeneration of the significant branches in the state police.

Orderly Systems

The so-called colonial ―Orderly Systems‖ was meant to provide an attendant to

senior army officials and police officials to help them keep their uniform neat and

clean and ready to wear in case of any emergency and also to enable him to

maintain bag and baggage properly during official travels.

However, there is a popular belief that this practice has degenerated into usage of

an orderly as a domestic servant who would be asked to perform all types of works

including utensil cleansing and cloth washing of family members of senior police

officers.

The researcher tried to ascertain veracity of sweeping charges regarding misuse of

orderly system in Gujarat police during informal conversation and personal

interview with at least a dozen IPS officers and also with middle level police

officials who are not entitled to an orderly.

It is found during the study that most of the IPS officers in Gujarat are sensible

enough not to mete out ill treatment to their orderly.

However, some officers engage more police constables as orderly at their

residence for various types of works which results into enormous financial

implications.

A senior IPS officer of the rank of Add.DGP opined during his interview by the

researcher that an orderly is a must for a superintendent of police, DIGs / IGPs

who themselves are deemed police stations to carry out their duty properly.

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However, the orderly system in the present form must go. This opinion is quite

reasonable and justifiable. The orderly system is required to be seriously

reconsidered in the larger interest of the constabulary.

Instead of using services of more than one regular police constable as orderly at

the house of a senior police officer, a suitable alternative like attendance allowance

may also be considered. This is what transpired during conversation with the

police personnel and observance as part of the study.

Working ambience at the police stations

There were days when police stations used to be situated in a thatched building

with old furniture. Visitors to a police station had to be made to sit on a rickety

chair or on a trunk containing paraphernalia of a constable.

The old police station buildings in Gujarat make one ruminating over the past and

feelings of reminiscences of the British Raj. The conditions of police stations

during the last one decade have undergone a sea change.

The Gujarat State Police Housing Corporation has constructed new buildings for

police stations almost in every district resulting into discernible improvement in

overall ambience of working place for the police constables.

The concept of public and private participation for construction of government

buildings/ offices has also helped the state police transform the old and dilapidated

buildings of police stations into quite impressive and exquisite police stations with

all necessary facilities like furniture, toilet, refrigerator, water purifier etc.

The new buildings of police stations in Gujarat are indeed a great credit to the

Gujarat State Police Housing Corporation.

Police public relations and police training

The old generation of police personnel used to treat both a complaint and an

accused shabbily. However, guidelines in this regard and also training to the police

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personnel on the subject of dealing with the public have at least some positive

impact on the behavioral attitude of the police constables.

The young generation in the police is found to be decent and well mannered with

comparison to their senior and aged colleagues. However, the police training

institutes are required to be suitably revamped since it is observed during the study

that most of the police officers posted as instructors/administrators of such training

institutes consider their placement as insignificant and also a punishment.

The armed police constables and the personnel above this rank posted at police

training institutes perform their duty with a sense of job satisfaction and this is the

reason why the ground training to the newly recruited constable/LRD and PSI is

by and large up to the mark.Whearas, the unarmed police officers posted at police

training institutes are found to be a frustrated group, killing their time in

spreading negative thoughts among the newly recruited constables and the

personnel above this rank. Understandably, the budding police constables and PSIs

do not get a proper training on behavioral and attitudinal aspects at the hands of

police officers who are posted at the training institutes as part of punishment

actually or they believe that their posting is aimed at keeping them away from the

routine policing and they have been sidelined. It is high time that a serious thought

has been given to a well known practice of treating police training institutes as

dumping grounds for the unarmed police officers facing departmental inquiry or

for those who are considered to be unwanted by the power that be. Police Training

Academy, Karai near Gandhinagar and Rashtra Veer Chhelbhai Dave Police

Training School, Junagadh visited by the researcher as part of the study are found

to be well managed and the trainees here are satisfied with the quality of ground

training imparted to them but the class room trainings are monotonous and there is

a need to use modern technology including power point presentations to make the

training programs live and interesting. Moreover, ambience in the class rooms at

PTS Junagadh is not befitting to a state level training institute. Therefore,

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renovation of the classes is urgently required. However, accommodation

facility and quality of food are indeed appreciable.

Prohibition its pros and cons:-

Being the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat has imposed prohibition of liquor in

the interest of the downtrodden people who get economically and physically

ruined because of addiction. However, this policy has bred corruption in the

implementing agencies in general and in the police in particular. The

bootleggers/barons are a boon to the police personnel who want to make fast buck

even by resorting to unethical acts.

It is found that one to two police men are found to be drunk at almost all the police

stations and drinking habit has a deleterious effect on their body and mind. The

researcher has observed that senior police officers are not sincere in enforcing

prohibition at least on the police men who are fond to be in a state of inebriation

while on duty. This sends wrong signals in the minds of common people. There

may be two opinions on desirability and acceptance of the prohibition policy but

there cannot be difference of opinion on its enforcement on the constables on duty

in the police stations through out the states. A political will and sincerity of

purpose on the part of senior police officers can make a lot of difference.

Prohibition has made our sate unique despite its partial success only. Its somewhat

strict implementation during the month of December for the last three years has

kept major cities free from troubles created by revelers at the night between the old

and New Year. The researcher has jumped on to the conclusion that prohibition

may be difficult to be implemented totally in the state, but it must be enforced and

implemented at all the police stations of the state and deterrent actions should be

taken against constables found to be in a state of inebriation while on duty.

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Conclusion/limitation of the study

The preceding chapters have highlighted different dimensions of the working and

living conditions of the constabulary in Gujarat.

The facts have revealed that a lot of remedial measures are required to be taken to

sort-out some serious problems especially the working load and excessively high

duty hours so that the chasm between the police and the public is minimized.

The problems associated with working and living conditions of the constabulary

are manifold, and therefore the present study, though carried out strenuously

covering all the police ranges, can not be claimed to be exhaustive.