LUCKNOW: Three more districts of Uttar Pradesh — Ghaziabad, Agra and Prayagraj — will come under police commissionerate system very soon. The state cabinet cleared a proposal to this effect on Friday.
The decision, said officials, was taken keeping in view the success of the system that was first introduced in Lucknow, Gautam Budh Nagar in January 2020 and then Kanpur and Varanasi in March 2021.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a tweet, confirmed that Ghaziabad, Agra and Prayagraj would soon have a police commissionerate system. He further added that better law and order, smart policing and police reforms were top priorities of the government and this decision would prove helpful in fulfilling these priorities.
Senior police officers of the inspector general-rank (IG) would soon be posted as commissioners in all these three districts, said a state government spokesperson. “DIG-rank officers will be posted as additional commissioners,” he added.
Urban development minister AK Sharma, who briefed reporters about cabinet decisions, said that Agra, Ghaziabad, and Prayagraj would first be declared metropolitan cities as per the rules of CrPC. Then, like other districts, the commissionerate system will be implemented in the entire district area.
“Agra was found suitable due to increase in population, influx of tourists and presence of industries in the district. According to the 2011 census, its population was 44 lakh,” Sharma said.
“Similarly, keeping in view the changed industrial conditions of the NCR region, Ghaziabad will also be converted into a police commissionerate. According to the 2011 census, the population here is 46 lakh,” he added.
“Prayagraj is a religious and cultural city. Mahakumbh is being organized here in 2025. Keeping in view all this it was decided to implement the system of police commissionerate here. According to the 2011 census, the population of Prayagraj is 59 lakh,” the minister said.
As per the Police Act 1861 and 1973, all the districts with a population of 10 lakh and above can implement police commissionerate system.
It is notable that various government committees have advocated the implementation of the commissionerate system in cities where the population is increasing rapidly, said a government spokesperson.
‘CPs to have maigsterial powers’
Senior home officials said that the work of reviewing the law and order situation of the district will be done faster under the new system. For this, the districts will be divided into several zones. After the commissionerate system is implemented, there will be a change in the rank of policing. An ACP will be deployed in place circle officers (COs). They will have more rights. They will be able to make decisions at their own level. At the same time, the jurisdiction of the police commissioner posted in the commissionerate will increase. The police commissioner will also have the powers of a magistrate. The rights related to law and order will now be with the commissioner.
Rural areas to be also included
Urban development and power minister AK Sharma clearly mentioned the entire district would be covered under the new system. This means that along with urban police stations, rural police stations will also be included in the commissionerate. Recently, while reorganizing the police commissionerate system in Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi, the council of ministers decided to abolish the rural district system in all the three districts and include the entire district in the police commissionerate. This decision was taken keeping in view the practical problems being faced in the operation of rural police stations. Similarly, now the rural police stations in these three districts will be under the police commissionerate. The new system will come into effect after the notification is issued.
The decision, said officials, was taken keeping in view the success of the system that was first introduced in Lucknow, Gautam Budh Nagar in January 2020 and then Kanpur and Varanasi in March 2021.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a tweet, confirmed that Ghaziabad, Agra and Prayagraj would soon have a police commissionerate system. He further added that better law and order, smart policing and police reforms were top priorities of the government and this decision would prove helpful in fulfilling these priorities.
Senior police officers of the inspector general-rank (IG) would soon be posted as commissioners in all these three districts, said a state government spokesperson. “DIG-rank officers will be posted as additional commissioners,” he added.
Urban development minister AK Sharma, who briefed reporters about cabinet decisions, said that Agra, Ghaziabad, and Prayagraj would first be declared metropolitan cities as per the rules of CrPC. Then, like other districts, the commissionerate system will be implemented in the entire district area.
“Agra was found suitable due to increase in population, influx of tourists and presence of industries in the district. According to the 2011 census, its population was 44 lakh,” Sharma said.
“Similarly, keeping in view the changed industrial conditions of the NCR region, Ghaziabad will also be converted into a police commissionerate. According to the 2011 census, the population here is 46 lakh,” he added.
“Prayagraj is a religious and cultural city. Mahakumbh is being organized here in 2025. Keeping in view all this it was decided to implement the system of police commissionerate here. According to the 2011 census, the population of Prayagraj is 59 lakh,” the minister said.
As per the Police Act 1861 and 1973, all the districts with a population of 10 lakh and above can implement police commissionerate system.
It is notable that various government committees have advocated the implementation of the commissionerate system in cities where the population is increasing rapidly, said a government spokesperson.
‘CPs to have maigsterial powers’
Senior home officials said that the work of reviewing the law and order situation of the district will be done faster under the new system. For this, the districts will be divided into several zones. After the commissionerate system is implemented, there will be a change in the rank of policing. An ACP will be deployed in place circle officers (COs). They will have more rights. They will be able to make decisions at their own level. At the same time, the jurisdiction of the police commissioner posted in the commissionerate will increase. The police commissioner will also have the powers of a magistrate. The rights related to law and order will now be with the commissioner.
Rural areas to be also included
Urban development and power minister AK Sharma clearly mentioned the entire district would be covered under the new system. This means that along with urban police stations, rural police stations will also be included in the commissionerate. Recently, while reorganizing the police commissionerate system in Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi, the council of ministers decided to abolish the rural district system in all the three districts and include the entire district in the police commissionerate. This decision was taken keeping in view the practical problems being faced in the operation of rural police stations. Similarly, now the rural police stations in these three districts will be under the police commissionerate. The new system will come into effect after the notification is issued.
