NEW PROVISIONS FOR
POLICE - POLITY
News:
What are new provisions for police
officers?
What's in the news?
●
Recently, SOPs have been
issued by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) to guide police
officers in implementing the new provisions.
Key takeaways:
1. Rules for Registering
FIRs:
●
The officer in charge of
a police station must register an FIR, regardless
of jurisdictional issues (known as a zero FIR) and transfer it to the
relevant station.
●
Non-registration of FIRs
can lead to penal action under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
●
FIRs can now be filed electronically, alongside
traditional oral or written methods.
2. Videography
Requirements:
●
Mandatory videography
during searches (Section 185), at crime scenes (Section 176), and during
property seizures (Section 105) is required.
●
Negligence
in conducting videography can benefit the
accused, emphasizing the need for proper training and equipment for
investigating officers.
3. eSakshya App:
●
The eSakhsya app is a
mobile-phone application to help police
record crime scenes, conduct searches, and seizures in criminal cases.
●
It enables police to
upload recorded evidence to a cloud-based platform. This data is accessible to
various agencies like judiciary, prosecution, and cyber forensic experts.
4. Provisions of Arrest:
●
Information about
arrested individuals must be prominently displayed
at police stations by an Assistant Sub-Inspector or higher.
●
Special restrictions are
imposed on arresting elderly or infirm persons, requiring permission from a
DySP for certain offenses.
5. Timelines for Medical
Reports and Investigations:
●
Medical reports in rape cases must be forwarded to the
Investigating officer within seven days for submission to the
magistrate.
●
Investigations of POCSO cases must be completed within two months of the offense being
reported, a stricter timeline compared to previous norms.
6. Handling Electronic
Evidence:
●
Section
193(3)(h) mandates maintaining custody records for
electronic devices due to their susceptibility to tampering.
●
Police officers are
required to upgrade their skills to ensure the integrity of electronic records.