Bhubaneswar, Feb. 16: The state government will establish a "PoliceComplaints Authority" at the state level to look into complaints of misconduct againstpoliceofficers above the ranks of superintendent of police.

The authority will also look into serious complaints, including death, grievous hurt, rape or molestation on women in custody and moral turpitude against police officers of all ranks. TheOdishaPoliceBill-2015 was introduced in the Assembly today. The proposed legislation intends to make the police more accountable.

The authority will consist of a chairperson and three other members appointed by the state government. Of these three members, one will be a woman. The authority, while conducting inquiry, will have all the powers of a civil court.

The bill also empowers the government to constitute a "State Security Commission" headed by the chief minister to aid and advise the government in discharging its functions and responsibilities. It will frame broad policy guidelines, identify performance indicatorsto evaluate the functioning of the statepolice.

Besides government functionaries, two non-political persons of proven reputation for integrity and competence from various fields would be nominated by the state government.Director-general of police will be the member-secretary of the commission. At least one woman member will be appointed in the committee. Every Independent member shall hold office for three years and shall be eligible for re-nomination for another term. But, the Independent member can be removed by two-third majority.

Thebillfacilitates constitution of thePoliceEstablishment Board with the director-general ofpoliceas its chairperson. It will decide transfers and postings of officers in the ranks of additional superintendents ofpoliceand deputy superintendents ofpolice.

A police establishment board will be set up with commissioner of police as its chairman, and it will decide transfers and postings of all police officers up to the rank of additional deputy commissioner of police. In exceptional cases, the DGP can intervene in it.

A state-level committee will be formed with the chief secretary as its chairman and the home secretary and the DGP as members to consider suitability and tenure of the officers of and above the rank of SP up to the rank of additional director-general ofpolice.

To keep the police free from unnecessary political interference and make it professionally equipped, the state government will fix the tenure of keypolicefunctionaries, including the director-general of police (DG), superintendents of police and in charge ofpolicestations to a minimum of two years.

However, an officer can be removed from his post by the state government before the expiry of his tenure on the grounds of proven inefficiency, negligence in duty, misconduct and lack of integrity.

The state government will constitute a State Intelligence Organisation for collection, collation, analysis and dissemination of intelligence to look into the activities of various organisations.