2 weeks Ago By Payal Dhawan
Ludhiana: If the district's police system ever felt like a rerun of Office Office, complete with file shuffling, circular approvals, and frustrated citizens, that episode just got cancelled. No more file-pushing, no more endless loops. The cops have kicked off a major overhaul to cut their pile of 5,000 pending complaints in half — and fast.
For the first time, investigating officers will now send their inquiry reports directly to the officer who marked the case — skipping over the middle layer of zonal seniors and the delays that come with it. "There's no reason justice should crawl from desk to desk," police commissioner Swapan Sharma said on Monday, unveiling the new streamlined process. "It wastes time, frustrates the public, and delays closure.
" Officers have also been put on the clock — 15 days to wrap up an inquiry, unless technical snags demand more time. "Not all cases are straightforward," Sharma acknowledged. "Some require forensic evidence or repeated summons of parties involved, which can extend the investigation period.
But the focus is now on accountability and time-bound resolution." In this bold move to cut through bureaucratic delays, police commissioner Swapan Sharma's orders are clear — no more passing files up and down the chain like Mussadilal is running from pillar to post. "Earlier, a single complaint would go from one officer to another, each re-checking the file, raising objections — and in the process, wasting everyone's time before the case came to the commissioner.
Each step led to unnecessary public inconvenience. People were made to shuttle between offices" Sharma said. "This new direct system brings accountability and speed.
" The new protocol mandates that IOs return completed reports straight to the initiating officer, typically a commissioner or deputy commissioner, without routing them through zonal officers. Officers of gazetted rank, such as assistant commissioners or additional deputy commissioners (ADCPs), will now handle these responsibilities directly, limiting the involvement of station house officers (SHOs) to core policing duties. "By simplifying the reporting chain, we can fast-track resolution and enhance public satisfaction," Sharma said.
The police aim to slash their backlog of 5,000 complaints by half in just two months. In true anti-Office Office fashion, summonses have also been redesigned. Instead of multiple notices and no-shows, the first summon will now mention three dates to appear, along with what documents or evidence to bring.
The commissioner said: "This small change will save time for both the investigating officer and the public. It sets clear expectations from the very beginning." The change is part of a broader effort by the Ludhiana police to improve service delivery and foster greater trust with the public.
The Ludhiana police are trading slow justice for smart processes — no more comedy of errors, just clarity and closure. MSID:: 120519015 413 |.
