Why the Indian police needs to be insulated from its political masters

The Indian police is governed by the archaic, colonial-era Police Act of 1861, which has no place in a democracy

One year ended with a question mark hanging over the police. And the next too began with a question mark hanging over the police. The first one in Uttar Pradesh, where the police are alleged to have targeted and vandalised homes based on the faith of the occupants. The second in Delhi, where the police allegedly looked away as masked men and women ran amok attacking students of a university with iron rods. In the national capital, the chief minister said: “I don’t blame Delhi Police… They get orders from above.”

Arvind Kejriwal — like chief ministers before him —