DailyPost 1511
SPECIAL GOVERNANCE TEAM
The country is more than familiar with what we call as SIT, Special Investigation Team, as and when warranted. This is in response to a crime/s, which cannot be handled by the normal investigative machinery. Grave criminal cases based on specific parameters, which can be termed as complex or where the pace of investigation has to be at a breakneck speed, or the quantum of cases may be huge; it can be a combination of these three or all. The clash of jurisdictions also come into to play and so does the expertise with both investigation and technology, given the current the scenario.
The crux of the matter is that the SIT created has to be competent to handle that particular investigation scenario and should also be provided the wherewithal to do that. Over the course of the last few decades, the utility of SITs has already been well established. At times they report directly to the courts if directed so, or if it is created at the court’s behest. In a large number of cases, from the national level sensational / complex cases to the critical cases at the district level too, the SITs have done yeomen service in providing high quality investigation, within a stipulated time frame. They have taken it through the trial process mostly ending in conviction. SITs today spell people’s confidence in a successful investigation mechanism.
Why can’t this not happen for law-and-order situation? In a similar manner this can be called Special Governance Team, SGT, which will be tasked with a complex and critical law and order scenario enmeshed with lots of governmental and governance interplays. The history, geography, local factors and their interplay with that specific crisis. Expert practitioners from all the relevant areas with already demonstrated capability are brought under one command and control of SGT, with a clear-cut purpose, delivery and timelines. The methodology which would also need to the consented upon, undeniably iterations will be factored in depending on the evolving situation.
Such situations keep on erupting in this country and we keep on handling it with meetings, orders, directives, deployments etc. on the same administrative mechanism which did not deliver, or because of which, the situation came to such a pass. The efforts of the local administration can be swiftly and empirical evaluated, if SGT is required or not. SGT will take over the tasks or the area, in a temporary yet effective mechanism, go deliver with finality, would report on the day-to-day progress, in a scheduled and a structured manner to an expert monitoring mechanism above them. Such SGT or STGs over a period of time would develop skills and methodologies, ones which cannot imagined now. Impartiality, trust, expertise enabled stringency would be touchstones. Full proof legal documentation would be an asset which the SGT need to possess profusely. Undeniably, the delivery of the geographical area to normalcy would be their final delivery. There can be various permutations and combinations in the creation of SGT/s, which can be brainstormed and brought into functioning, tailor made for that specific law and order / governance breakdown. Would it have helped in Manipur?
GOVERNANCE CRISIS CANNOT BE HANDLED EFFECTIVELY BY THE ONES WHO CREATED IT.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.