Why Uttarakhand is set to disband Revenue Police system after centuries

The revenue police system has gained attention again after the recent brutal death of receptionist Ankita Bhandari which shows the failure of the system. Her death has exposed the issue of the Uttarakhand revenue police system. The failure of the revenue police system has come into debate many times even in 2018 high court ordered the Uttarakhand government to take action in this matter. This issue has already been a part of various debates. And this revenue police system demands the attention of the Uttarakhand government. 

The Incident of the Ankita Bhandari murder has forced the government to take action, after the incident, Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri wrote to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, where she requested him to end the revenue police system. The state cabinet has given its nod to a proposal to replace the system with the regular police.

The Revenue Police system and Regular Police in Uttarakhand. 

Although the regular police force exists in Uttarakhand, its jurisdiction does not extend to several hilly areas. At present, the revenue police jurisdiction covers over 50% of the state in terms of area, and about 25% of the population

Uttarakhand is the only state in the country where nearly 60% of the area is still under revenue police. In 1861, It was a system that came under the British empire in India. Within this system revenue officials act as cops with the right to arrest an accused and investigate cases, the motive behind this system was to save money and resources by not deploying regular police. Since then it’s been in practice in the hilly area. 

Generally in other states revenue officials are assigned with the work of maintaining land, cultivation, and revenue records of villages and collecting revenue on behalf of the government. However, this scenario is different in terms of Uttarakhand. Under the unique revenue police system, civil officials of the revenue department have the powers and functions of the regular police. Whenever a crime takes place, the revenue police of the area files an FIR, investigates the case, arrests the accused, and also files a charge sheet in the local court.

How did the Revenue Police system come into existence? 

In the 1800s, the rulers of Tehri lost their territories to Gurkhas. As the British wanted the natural resources and minerals found in present-day Uttarakhand for revenue, they put in place a revenue system with the posts of patwari, komungo, lekhpal, etc.

The British Police Act of 1861 was enacted after 1857. Giving the revenue police system a legal foundation was now required. The Scheduled Districts Act became operative in 1874. Making particular provisions for those areas of British India that were never brought within the ordinary laws because of their unique geographical, and demographic socio-economic aspects was one of the goals of this Act.

As a result, the patwari received police station officer authority. The komungo was determined to be his supervising officer. After Independence, the practice persisted.

Why is there a demand for Regular police? 

Despite having the jurisdiction of 60% in the hill area there are certain limitations in the Revenue police system in Uttarakhand. For example in the event of grave offenses like murder, rape, or crimes against Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) the cases are moved to the regular police. However, the procedure can take days or even months because the district superintendent of police (SP) receives the information from the revenue police before passing it on to a regular police station. Often, the delay results in the loss of important evidence or otherwise impair the case. And this was the main problem encountered in the kite Bhandari murder case. 

Many believe that this system should be abolished because crime has gone worldwide in recent years. The fact that tax officials are given the additional responsibility of policing with no to little training, is considered the main issue with the revenue police.

Another problem with the revenue police system lies in that Along with looking into and solving crimes, one of the police’s main responsibilities is to stop criminal activity in neighboring venues. Authorities are unable to deter crime by gathering intelligence or instilling a fear of law and order. When cases are transferred during investigations, it may take days or months and all of the evidence has already been destroyed. Uttarakhand, a border state, is crucial from a strategic perspective. The presence of the revenue police poses serious risks in this situation, he noted.

Additionally, when a case is linked to neighboring states, issues can arise, especially in a tourist state like Uttarakhand. The revenue police find it challenging to coordinate with other districts or states, but the ordinary police can. When looking for forensic assistance, they are likewise limited.

The Police-Forces (Restriction of Rights) Act, which limits certain of the rights granted by the Constitution to members of the forces tasked with maintaining public order, does not apply to revenue police personnel. This is done to make sure they are carrying out their responsibilities correctly and that discipline is upheld. To protest inadequate funding or their release from policing duties, tax officials have gone on strike on multiple occasions.

Is demand for regular police systems new? 

The demand for replacing the revenue police system in Uttarakhand is not new. From time to time People have been raising their concerns regarding the system. Even in a historic decision issued in 2018, the Uttarakhand High Court commanded the state government to end the “century-old practice” of the revenue police system.

The ruling stated that “more than a century-old practice of the revenue police system is ordered to be eliminated in several sections of the state of Uttarakhand within six months.” A woman’s claimed murder by her in-laws for dowry in 2011 in a village in the Tehri Garhwal district, which is under the revenue police system, is the background of the court judgment.

After the death of Ankita Bhandari, the cabinet of the Uttarakhand government nodded to the request of Ritu khanduri. It’s important to see what course of action it will take to change the colonial practice in the form of this system.