Legal society files a PIL for a safer Mumbai

Last week’s terror attacks have shaken legal firms into action. The Society of Indian Law Firms, co-chaired by Cyril Shroff of law firm Amarchand Mangaldas, has filed a PIL to ensure that the city is safe once again with an effective security system in place. The PIL was mentioned by senior counsel Iqbal Chagla on Wednesday before a bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice Sharad Bobde, which is likely to hear it on Thursday, tagged along with another petition on the terror strike. The society’s plea is simple: “It is imperative to the financial, moral, physical and general well-being of the country and the safety and security of its citizens that Mumbai be safeguarded and appropriate security measures be put in place to ensure that terrorist attacks do not recur and that in the unfortunate event of any recurrence, loss of lives and properties are minimised.’’ The demands include ensuring that the state’s decision in 2002 to form a “quick response team” to meet security and terror-related threats is implemented. The PIL said that in 2003-04, the state had, in consultation with McKinsey & Co, carried out a study on reforming the Police Act and the khaki force. In a 2006 report, it submitted critical recommendations, which were yet to see the light of day. “No coherent reform has emerged nor required investments in equipment, training and infrastructure made for equipping the police force to combat such terrorist strikes.’ The PIL seeks directives to “urgently and in a time-bound manner formulate and implement a crisis management plan” along with infrastructure processes, providing equipment and vehicles, including helicopters and speedboats, to security agencies, having CCTV sets all to enable adequate surveillance in the city.’’ The PIL has suggested the formation of a citizens’ coordination committee to suggest and coordinate measures and that the panel can comprise members of the judiciary and the police, professionals and intellectuals. The panel should work with the government and “report progress from time to time to the high court’’.The petition has also sought directives to the state to disclose the allocation of funds for modernisation of the police and whether they have been partly diverted for other use. It is imperative to guarantee Right to Life as stated in Article 21, the PIL said, calling for a permanent NSG battalion in Mumbai and proper surveillance and cover along the Maharashtra coastline.