Police need not directly procure weapons from abroad; weapons should be purchased only through Centre, says government

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government has rejected the recommendation of the Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair Commission that the police should be allowed to directly purchase firearms, including pistols and revolvers, from overseas suppliers. According to the commission, the police chief should have permission to procure weapons and ammunition directly from foreign vendors. The government, however, has decided that weapons can only be purchased from overseas through the Ordnance Factory Board or in coordination with central agencies like the CRPF, ITBP, BSF, and others. Police will continue to have limited authority in foreign weapon procurement, and the recommendation to remove financial limits for the police chief for such purchases has also been rejected.

The commission’s recommendation to relax rules requiring police furniture to be purchased from public sector companies such as RUBCO or CIDCO, and to remove financial limits for vehicle purchases, was also rejected.

Emergency purchases allowed without tender

• The government approved the recommendation allowing the police chief to make emergency purchases without calling a tender, subject to a limit of Rs 50 lakh per financial year. However, the recommendation to extend the procurement delivery period from three months to six months was not accepted.
• The recommendation to form a committee of technically qualified personnel to oversee the procurement, use, maintenance, and servicing of high-tech equipment was approved. For security equipment, open tenders may be replaced by single tenders.

Cybersecurity equipment

Police are allowed to purchase cybersecurity equipment directly from manufacturers. Recommendations related to the release of seized vehicles and other legislative changes were rejected.