Punjab scraps ‘halqa incharge’ system to stop interference in policing

Chandigarh, April 14 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday ordered immediate scrapping of the 'halqa incharge' system, promoted by the Akalis, to curb political interference in police functioning.

The government denotified the 2010 changes in the jurisdiction of police stations and police sub-divisions brought about by the then Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party government in Punjab.

Amarinder Singh, soon after taking over as Chief Minister on March 16, announced that his government had decided to carry out territorial restructuring of police stations and sub-divisions to increase their functional and operational efficiency.

"The first Cabinet meeting of the Congress government had also approved elimination of the halqa incharge system to put an end to the political interference that had completely demoralised the police during the SAD-BJP rule," a Chief Minister's spokesman said.

"With the denotification of the 2010 notifications, the stage has been set for making policing free, fair and more effective. The reorganisation of the jurisdictions will be notified soon as per fresh recommendations of the Director General of Police," the spokesman said.

Following the move, police stations and sub-divisions will be de-aligned from the assembly constituencies, for which incharges were appointed by the previous government, to ensure no political interference in their functioning, the spokesman said.

The Akali Dal-BJP government had come in for criticism over the last few years as the halqa incharges became extra-constitutional authorities over police and district officials.