The PIL petition stated that the Supreme Court had in 2006 ordered all the States to set up SPCAs so as to enable the common man to lodge complaints against atrocities by the police officers. These SCPAs, the petition pointed out, were supposed to be made functional both at State and District level.
However, in West Bengal this prime body has only been on paper, it was alleged.
“The chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission is heading the SPCA in Kolkata. The State’s Director General of Police (DGP) is the Member Secretary and the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata is another member. There is no outside person in the SPCA,” the petitioner told the bench.
Further, the bench was informed that the SPCA was “virtually defunct” as there is no infrastructure for it to function.
“Also, the citizens aren’t aware as to what procedure they have to follow to lodge complaints with the SPCA. In fact, citizens do not know about the existence of the SPCA at all. Also, there is no SPCA at district level too,” the petitioner argued.
The bench heard the submissions and ordered the concerned authority in the State’s Home Ministry to respond to these arguments by way of an affidavit.
Source: Barandbench
