This
fact cannot be overemphasized that our policing and civil administrative
systems are redundant. The reasons of redundancy of these institutions are
many; politicizing of these institutions is only one of the reasons of
ineffectiveness and inefficiency of these institutions. The greater degree of
panacea to cure the ills found in these institutions does not lie in
de-politicizing these institutions; rather it lies in advanced civil administrative
and policing methodologies and
technologies. If these institutions are given complete free hand by de-politicizing
them along with their existing inefficiency and corrupt practices, these
institutions would become even more hostile to people’s interests. What I mean
to say is de-politicization of these institutions should be second or a
parallel preference; the first preference should be adoption of advanced
policing and administrative methodologies and technologies.
Present
regime is focusing on reformation of Police Department and change in police
culture. The required change in police culture cannot be brought in by
implementing existing disciplinary rules/regulations strictly Or by appointing
better experienced and honest police officers Or by providing better
infrastructure to police department. All these measures aiming at bringing in
change in police culture would be dismally failure until and unless policing methodologies
are changed; new policing methodology must be based on advanced investigative
and law and order related skills coupled with advanced technology/tools. In order to pursue new policing methodology,
police officers/staff need to be trained in new investigative and law and order
skills based on advanced technology and tools. This is a medium term process which
may be completed in a period spanning from three to six years- depending upon
the scale on which training programme is pursued and required modern tools are
procured. For the purpose joint ventures
in this regard may be initiated with training institutes of advanced friendly states
like China, Turkey etc. Collection of evidence from crime scene may be
restricted to investigation wing only which should be trained in forensic based
investigation. New policing based on advanced investigative and law and order
skills basing on advanced technology/tools would bring about desired change in
police culture. In other words, it is not present Police which may bring about
change in police culture; rather it would be better policing which may change
the face of Police Department.
Similarly
civil administration methodology also needs to be changed. We have already seen
in my article “Institutionalization of
Positive Social Systems” that positive state institutions may be built up by
coupling state institution with non-state institution. Non-state institutions
are such institutions which do not have under law any power/role in state decision-making. One model
of such civil administrative institution based on state and non-state
institutional collaboration may be constructed in local governments.
In local
governments majority of the members/councilors are elected without any specific
qualification/experience. In order to couple district state institutions with
non-state institutions, councilors/members of local bodies may be elected with
the view to oversee working of specific district state institutions. For instance
to oversee district education offices/institutions, candidates with only relevant
qualification/experience may be elected; similarly for district institutions
relating to engineering works; health; revenue; police; labor; and other
district institutions, candidates having relevant qualification/experience may
be elected and entrusted with responsibility of overseeing the working of
respective district institutions. It may be noted that such elected
members/councilors of local bodies would act as non-state institutions (though
local bodies are not non-state institutions because they have legal powers in
respect of state decision-making, the writer is proposing that councilors entrusted
with responsibility of overseeing district state institutions would not have
any legal power/role in decision-making of district state institutions and as
such they would act as non-state institution). Such councilors should not be
nominated by the government. What the writer is proposing is essentially
different from what present regime is proposing in respect of proposed District
Education and Health Authorities and including in such Authorities private
members from civil society. My proposal envisages such councilors/members overseeing
working of district institutions, which would not have any legal authority/role
in decision-making of the respective district institutions, nor would such
councilors/members be appointed by the government.
The
elected local bodies’ councilors/members entrusted with responsibility of
overseeing the working of district state institutions should have access to all
record of the concerned district institutions; such councilors may also provide
necessary inputs to respective district institutions for decision-making, and
report any mal-administration to the supervisory
authority of the district institution for taking corrective measures. There
should also be an Office of District Mohtasib. If required corrective measures are
not taken by the concerned supervisory authority, the elected councilors may
take the matter to the District Mohtasib along with all relevant record.
District Mohtasib’s decision would be binding on all concerned authorities.
We may
conclude that in order to improve service delivery, our police and civil
administrative institutions need fresh methodologies. Local bodies may play
vital role in assisting state institutions in adopting fresh methodologies. Present
regime should organize and erect local bodies in the way suited to help state
institutions change their methodologies of service delivery.
