CIVIL LIBERTIES ; 25 indicated that a cell has been constituted in the Office of the Director-General of Police to perform this task. Elaborate guidelines have been provided to the State Governments by the Commission on the manner in which these cells should function. 3.45 Ejqjerience gained of the working of these cells over the past year indicates that they have been serving a useful purpose, not least as the nodal points for the contacts that are required on the day-to-day basis between the Commission and the police of each State. The cells are seeking to ensure that reports sought by the Commission are provided within the time-frames specified for them and that investigations are more carefuUy imdertaken. The cells are also serving the wider purpose of sensitising the police in each State to human rights considerations by organising workshops, developing training curricula and undertaking other activities designed to achieve this purpose. 3.46 The Commission would like to emphasise that the value of such cells will, in the long-term, depend on the quality and commitment of those who are appointed to head them and the support that they receive from the highest levels of the political and administrative leadership in each State. The Commission therefore recommends that special care be taken in respect of the appointments that are made in respect of those who are charged with the responsibility of heading these cells and that the fullest cooperation is extended to them. 3) Constitution of District Complaint Authority 3.47 In order to improve the interaction between the public and the police and to check the violation of human rights, the Commission had requested the ChiefJustices of the High Courts and Chief Ministers/Administrators of all State and Union Territories to consider issuing directions to District Judges to constitute, in their respective jurisdictions, a 'District Complaint Authority', with the Principal District Judge as the Chairman and the District Collector/Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police/Superintendent of Police as Members. It was hoped that the establishment of such bodies, which would examine grievances of the public, would inculcate a sense of responsibility in the conduct of public servants and strengthen faith in the rule of law. 3.48 In the course of the year under review, the High Courts of Himachal Pradesh, Madras, Rajasthan, Bombay, Guwahati, Allahabad, Karnataka, Orissa, Calcutta and ANNUAL REPORT 2000-2001

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