Civic volunteers will not be “entrusted with any law enforcement duties”, said a circular issued by Bengal police late on Friday.
Members of the civic volunteer force will “assist police in respective units for traffic management” and major festivals, says the circular, issued by the inspector-general of police, in charge of police welfare of the state.
The order comes within days of Calcutta High Court asking the government to clarify the role of civic volunteers in maintaining the law-and-order situation of the state.
On March 21, a single-judge bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha had instructed the state to draw up guidelines defining the role of civic volunteers.
The bench also instructed that an officer of the rank of inspector-general of police draw up the guideline and submit a report before the court on March 29.
Senior officials of the home department in Nabanna said Friday’s circular was in response to the directive where it has been clearly spelt out that a civic volunteer will not be allowed to perform any law and order duty.
“A civic volunteer can not be entrusted with any law enforcement duties,” the circular issued to the commissioners of police commissiomerates, superintendents of police in the districts, inspector general of police in charge of zones and ranges and other senior officers.
Issued from Bhabani Bhavan, headquarters of the West Bengal police directorate, the circular clearly refers to the order — “...in terms of the order dated 21.03.2003 of Honourable High Court, Kolkata” — and goes on to “apprise” senior officers the “purposes” of setting up the civic volunteer force.
“...the civic volunteer force is set up to assist police for the following purposes” the circular states before going on to list them.
These include:
- Assisting police in respective units for traffic management n Assisting police in major festivals
- Ensuring public safety
- Assist regarding unauthorised parking of vehicles
- Assist police in “any other duties/responsibilities relating to public assistance to be assigned by respective heads of units.”
The role of civic police volunteers had come under the scanner last year following the death of student leader Anis Khan in Howrah’s Amta.
Anis’s father had moved court alleging that his son was murdered by men wearing police uniform and by civic police volunteers.
Earlier in 2018, a businessman was killed following a scuffle with two civic volunteers in Madhyamgram in North 24-Parganas.
The post of civic volunteers was created in 2012, a year after the Mamata Banerjee-led government came to power in Bengal.