Get policing to concurrent list, says top cop

A top serving police officer today suggested shifting the subject of policing from the state list to the concurrent list, an idea home secretary GK Pillai described as "complicated".

The suggestion was made during an interaction at a conference on 'Homeland Security and Defence System' organised by Assocham where Pillai delivered the keynote address.

Maithili Sharan, inspector general of police of the Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force wanted policing in the concurrent list as there was "phenomenal increase" in the number of central paramilitary forces as against the state police.

"There is a phenomenal growth in the various central forces like the CRPF, ITBP, IRB whereas there is virtually no growth in the number of state police," Sharan said suggesting that perhaps bringing police into the concurrent list could make things better.

Pillai said that bringing police to the concurrent list was "slightly more complicated matter as it would require Constitutional amendment."

He said the state governments should focus on adding more personnel to the police force. "In Uttar Pradesh alone, there are over two lakh vacancies in the state police despite the sanction given by the Centre," Pillai said.

"It is important for the state government to fill up the vacancies," he said.