No plan to curtail role of SSPs, SPs, says UP govt

LUCKNOW: The state government on Monday clarified that there was no plan to curtail the power of the district police chiefs (SSPs and SPs).

Principal secretary, Home, Arvind Kumar said the DMs and SSPs/SPs are two important pillars of the district administration and work closely to discharge the responsibilities assigned to them. “The roles of the DMs and SSPs are well laid out in Police Regulations and other relevant Acts. There is no intention of the state government to modify their roles,” he said.

The state government had received suggestions from the director general of police (DGP) on the government order issued by the Programme Implementation Department on September 7, 2017 regarding review of law and order in the districts. The suggestions of the DGP had been considered by the state government, Kumar said.

A senior government officer said the Programme Implementation Department had issued the GO stating that law and order review meetings in the districts will be held each month under the chairmanship of district magistrates in the police lines.

Along with superintendents of police, ADM (Administration), additional superintendent of police, deputy superintendent of police, senior prosecution officer, district government counsel and all the station house officers will be present in the meeting. Chief secretary Rajive Kumar had directed the divisional commissioners, IGPs Zone, DMs and SPs to ensure the implementation of the order.

However, DGP Sulkhan Singh on November 7 shot off a letter to the chief secretary stating sub divisional magistrates and magistrates were also associated with maintaining law and order and should be also directed to attend the law and order meetings. Fearing that power of the superintendents of police will be curtailed, the IPS Association had called meeting of the executive committee on Tuesday.

President of the association Praveen Singh said review of crime was the domain of the superintendents of police. Later taking cognizance of the Principal Secretary, Home, clarification, the Association cancelled its meeting.