Parliament accepts Police Integrity Commission Act for vote
27 Jun 2011, 6:12 PM
Ahmed Nazeer
The parliament today accepted the Police Integrity Commission Act presented by People’s Alliance (PA) MP Abdu-Raheem Abdulla, with the objective of making the Police Integrity Commission an independent body.
Out of the 67 MPs present, 36 MPs voted to accept the bill for preliminary debate and decide whether or not to pass it into law.
According to the bill, members of political parties or political activists would be banned from being member of the commissions.
The father, mother, son, daughter, wife or husband of a police officer would also be blocked from being a member of the commission, according to the bill.
Appointing members to the commission would be parliament’s responsibility, and a member of the commission could be dismissed if a parliament majority found that person incompetent or incapable.
The President of the Commission also will be determined by the parliament in a sitting by popular vote.
The PIC currently operates under the Police Act, and the Commissioner appointed by the President.
According to the bill, it would be prohibited for the PIC to disclose any information a commission member receives in an investigation unless for the investigative purposes of a lawful body.
Parliament’s finance committee is responsible for determining the wages and allowances of the commission members, the bill states.
The police are obliged to inform the commission within 24 hours if anyone dies, attempts suicide or is seriously injured while under police charge, according to the Integrity Commission Act.
The bill also rescinds all articles concerning the Police Integrity Commission from the Police Act.