Former Delhi HC judge appointed police complaints authority chairperson

Delhi LG V.K. Saxena on Sunday approved appointment of former Delhi High court judge, Justice Poonam A. Bamba as the Chairperson of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

The PCA has been set up to deal with the complaints of the public regarding acts of serious misconduct by police personnel.

The name of Justice Bamba, who retired in August, was forwarded as Chairperson of the PCA on the direction of the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.

The PCA can either take up a case suo motu or on a complaint received from a victim or any person on his/her behalf on a sworn affidavit; the National Human Rights Commission; Lt Governor or Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary, Home.

However, no anonymous or pseudonymous complaints will be entertained.

Serious misconduct shall mean any act of commission or omission of a police officer that leads to or amounts to death, grievous, rape or attempt to rape, arrest or detention without due to process of law, or extortion or land/house grabbing or any other incident involving serious abuse of authority by Police.

Justice Bamba will take over as Chairperson of the PCA from Justice P S Teji (retd) whose tenure ended in August.

The Police Complaints Authority for GNCTD was constituted in 2018 in compliance of the directions of the Supreme Court and guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs and LG is the appointing authority for Chairman/Members of the PCA.

The proposal for appointment of Chairperson was submitted by the Chief Secretary and the LG was informed that a separate proposal for appointments of members will be placed before him.

Saxena had earlier approved the Constitution of a Search Committee for identifying replacement of all existing members and had requested the Chief Justice to recommend the name of a retired high court judge for appointment of PCA Chairperson.

The PCA of GNCTD is headed by the Chairperson with three members, out of which one has to be a woman and in case a woman is appointed as Chairperson, then it shall not be mandatory to have a woman member.

The term of the Chairperson and Members of the Authority is for three years and the upper age limit for Members is 65 years but the Chairperson can continue beyond 65 years, if necessary to complete three years tenure subject to the approval of the LG.