Patna, March 31:
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Saturday criticised the opposition for reportedly spreading a canard over the Bihar Police Act, 2007, saying it was framed to make the police force "more accountable to the law and the people." "I am a man who believes in democratic values and want better policing in Bihar. The state government enacted the act to make the police force more accountable to the law and the people in accordance with the Supreme Court's verdict on police reforms," Kumar told a press conference. Ridiculing the opposition’s charge that the act violated the order of the apex court, Kumar said the process of drafting the new act started in light of the order passed by the apex court. The apex court in its order on September 22, 2006 had expressed hope that all state governments would rise to the occasion and enact a new police act and issued certain directions to the Centre, state governments and Union Territores for compliance till framing of the appropriate legislation. The directions had said about minimum tenure of the Director General of Police, minimum tenure of IG of police and other officers, separation of investigation, formation of police establishment board, formation of police complaints authority. Kumar clarified that in keeping the state government constituted a draft committee in December, 2006 to draft the Bihar Police Bill which relied primarily on the Model Police Act, 2006 circulated by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. After due deliberations and two cabinet meetings, the state cabinet finally approved the draft bill on March 22 which was passed by the state Assembly on March 28. Stating that Bihar was the first state to comply with the Supreme Court order, Kumar laughed at the allegation that the act was "draconian."
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