12 YEARS GONE, HARYANA GOVT YET TO SET UP DISTRICT POLICE COMPLAINTS AUTHORITIES DESPITE SC DIRECTIONS & STATUTORY MANDATE

PROVISION HAS EXISTED SINCE AUGUST 1, 2014 AFTER AMENDMENT IN STATE POLICE ACT; VIDHANSABHA EVEN STRENGTHENED THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN 202

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Despite a clear statutory mandate that came into force 12 years ago, the Haryana Government has yet to establish even a single District Police Complaints Authority (DPCA) anywhere in the State.

The legal requirement was introduced through the Haryana Police (Amendment) Act, 2014, which became effective on August 1, 2014, mandating the constitution of a District Police Complaints Authority for every district or, where necessary, a common authority for two or more districts.

Describing the prolonged delay as a serious setback to police accountability, Advocate Hemant Kumar, an Advocate ar Punjab and Haryana High Court specialising in legal and administrative affairs, said the State’s failure to operationalise the district-level oversight mechanism even after twelve years raises fundamental questions about the implementation of police reforms.

“The reasons for the continued non-constitution of District Police Complaints Authorities can only be explained by the State Home Department,” he said.

From Single-Member to Multi-Member Authorities

The 2014 amendment, enacted during the tenure of the then Bhupinder Singh Hooda Government, replaced the earlier single-member model with multi-member Police Complaints Authorities at both the State and District levels.

Under the amended law, each authority is to consist of a Chairperson and up to three additional members. The legislation also permits the constitution of a joint District Police Complaints Authority for more than one district wherever considered appropriate.
State Authority Constituted, District Bodies Still Missing

While the State Government constituted the Haryana State Police Complaints Authority in 2025 by appointing retired IPS officer Dr. R.C. Mishra as Chairperson, followed by retired IAS officers Lalit Siwach and Sumedha Kataria as Members, no corresponding District Police Complaints Authority has been established anywhere in Haryana.

The appointment of Dr. Mishra has also been challenged before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The petition contends that the Supreme Court, in its landmark Prakash Singh v. Union of India judgment delivered in September 2006, directed that the Chairperson of every State Police Complaints Authority should be a retired Judge of the High Court or the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court’s 20-Year-Old Reform Directive Still Incomplete

Hemant Kumar pointed out that the Supreme Court’s landmark police reforms judgment, delivered nearly 20 years ago, required every State to establish Police Complaints Authorities at both the State and District levels.
Under those directions, the State Authority was to examine complaints against officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) and above, while the District Authority was intended to inquire into complaints against police personnel up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
However, Haryana’s legislation grants the District Authority jurisdiction only over Inspectors and officers below that rank, thereby falling short of the framework envisaged by the Supreme Court.

Law Strengthened Again in 2026, But Authorities Still Awaited

The Haryana Legislative Assembly passed the Haryana Police (Amendment) Act, 2026 during its Budget Session in March this year. After receiving the Governor’s assent, the amendment came into force on May 5, 2026.
The amendment completely substituted Section 68-C of the Haryana Police Act, 2007, significantly expanding the powers and functioning of District Police Complaints Authorities.

The revised law empowers the Authority to: Take suo motu cognisance of complaints. Act on complaints filed by victims or persons on their behalf through sworn affidavits. Investigate complaints forwarded by the National or State Human Rights Commissions.

Decide complaints within six months.

The amendment also bars action on anonymous or pseudonymous complaints and excludes matters already pending before courts or statutory commissions such as the Human Rights Commission, Women’s Commission, Scheduled Castes Commission, Minorities Commission or Lokayukta. Complaints relating to incidents over three years old, as well as police action during unlawful assemblies, protests, road blockades or disruption of essential services, have also been kept outside its jurisdiction.

State Authority Handling District-Level Functions Since 2021
According to Hemant Kumar, the Haryana Government issued an order in September 2021 authorising the State Police Complaints Authority to discharge the functions of the District Authorities as well, including hearing complaints against police personnel up to the rank of Inspector.

He observed that this arrangement has remained legally debatable because the statute itself expressly mandates the constitution of separate District Police Complaints Authorities. Entrusting those responsibilities to the State Authority, he said, appears inconsistent with the legislative intent behind the law.

Key Highlights

Haryana Police (Amendment) Act, 2014 came into force on August 1, 2014. No District Police Complaints Authority has been constituted in Haryana even after 12 years. The 2026 amendment substantially strengthened the powers and functioning of District Authorities. A six-month time limit has been prescribed for disposal of complaints. Since 2021, the State Police Complaints Authority has been performing the functions intended for District Authorities as well.