‘New laws are not needed for compensating victims or penalising negligent officers’

Ram Jethmalani
Union minister for urban development
Bharatiya Janata Party

I am completely in favour of the proposal to compensate victims of police misconduct. No special legislation is necessary for this purpose. It can be accompanied by framing guidelines and suitable administrative action.

Officers and public servants who are guilty of dereliction of duty, too, should be sternly dealt with. Again, no new legislation is necessary. The Civil Service rules create adequate powers of dismissal and infliction of lesser penalties. In all cases, the misconduct complained of will be an offence under the Indian Penal Code, the local Police Act or some other law.

The remedy is strong enforcement of existing law and not more law. I am deeply concerned about the matter, and I will welcome free debate and the evolving of proper procedures to deal with the menace. I cannot support new legislation because in my opinion, it is unnecessary and would be redundant.