Yogi Govt mulls to introduce police commissionerate in Lucknow also

The Uttar Pradesh Government is seriously contemplating the introduction of police commissionerate system in a phased manner to make crime control system efficient and make police officers directly accountable for law and order.

Initially, the system is likely to be introduced in Lucknow and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida), where no district police chiefs have been posted by the Government. While the SSP of Lucknow was transferred, the SSP of Noida was suspended by the Government on Thursday.

“The Government is discussing the commissionerate system for Lucknow and Noida,” Director General of Police OP Singh said on Friday morning.

The system gives more teeth, including magisterial powers, to IPS officers of Inspector General of Police (IG) rank and above, posted as commissioners. The system is in place in 71 cities across 15 States in the country.

As of now, magisterial powers are with District Magistrates and his deputies who are IAS and PCS officers. If the commissionerate system is implemented, District Magistrates will be left with revenue related work and decisions regarding law and order, including giving permission for programmes and issuing various licences would rest with the police commissioners.

The move was initiated earlier also but could not be implemented as IAS and IPS officers were at loggerheads over the issue. In December 2018, former Governor Ram Naik had suggested the State Government to seriously consider introducing the system in the State for improving law and order.

He had given the suggestion in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while addressing a function at Reserve Police Lines in Lucknow.

Naik had suggested that the system be introduced on a trial basis in Lucknow, Kanpur and Ghaziabad where the populations exceeded the 20-lakh mark.

Sources confirmed in Lucknow on Friday that the DGP met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday and submitted a plan for introduction of police commissionerate system in Lucknow and Noida. Now it is up to Yogi Adityanath to take a call.

Speculation over introduction of police commissionerate system in Lucknow and Noida gained steam as the State Government did not post SSPs in both districts.

On Thursday, Noida SSP Vaibhav Krishna was suspended while Lucknow SSP Kalanidhi Naithani was shifted as SSP of Ghaziabad.

Reports further said that IG (Meerut) Alok Singh and IG (Lucknow) SK Bhagat had been asked to take charge of the districts.

Earlier, the previous Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party Governments had tried to introduce the police commissionerate system but the IAS lobby did not allow it, offering several reasons.