Police Reforms: India
Police Reforms: Too Important to Neglect, Too Urgent to Delay

The Police Act Drafting Committee submits its Model Police Act, 2006

In October 2005, the central government set up a “Police Act Drafting Committee” (PADC) – commonly know as the Soli Sorabjee Committee – tasked to draft a new model Police Act. The PADC was mandated to take into account the changing role and responsibilities of the police and the challenges before it and draft a model act that could guide states while adopting their own legislation. The constitution of the PADC was prompted by the Prime Minister’s concern expressed at the Conference of District Superintendents of Police in early 2005 that: “We need to ensure that police forces at all levels, and even more so at the grassroots, change from a feudal force to a democratic service”.

The PADC submitted its Model Police Act, 2006 to the Home Minister on 30 October 2006. The final version of the Model Police Act is available at the Ministry of Home Affairs website.

Click here to see the Model Police Act 2006 drafted by the Police Act Drafting Committee.

Click here to see a letter sent by CHRI to the PADC expressing our reservations with the Model Police Act 2006, dated 30 October 2006.

Click here to see CHRI's note of dissent on Chapter IX ("Policing in the context of Public Order and Internal Security Challenges") of the Model Police Act

Click here to see CHRI's note listing "Issues of Concern" with the Model Police Act