NCJ Number
111439
Journal
Indian Journal of Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1988) Pages: 10-14
Date Published
1988
Length
5 pages
Annotation
India's bureaucratic and political structures permit politicians to manipulate law enforcement agencies in accordance with political and personal interests, thus impeding effective and unbiased law enforcement.
Abstract
Under India's parliamentary system of democracy, the elected legislature controls the civil bureaucracy through the minister. Politicians, who control the policies and often the decisionmaking of civil servants, including police managers, often act out of political and personal interests to ensure that their political support and personal fortunes are advanced through the civil bureaucracy. Police commissioners and superintendents are appointed by politicians, so politicians control basic police policies. Police administrators also tend to change in accordance with the political party in power. Should politicians choose, they may exert pressure on their police appointees to administer the law according to certain political biases and interests. This may extend to decisions about which cases should be prosecuted. Political interests should not be involved in the recruitments, appointments, transfers, and promotion of law enforcement officers. 4 references.