Traffic Police Calling

It seems that the department of traffic in Bangalore is receiving several complaints from motorists and two wheeler owners about the police constables suddenly stopping or chasing their vehicles on busy roads and signals to verify vehicle related documents, resulting in vehicles coming from behind ramming into the other. Many a times these constables can be seen running after the vehicle and trying to catch the offender from back resulting in either of them getting hurt or even falling from the vehicle and getting injured. In one case the police caught hold of the two wheeler handle so firmly, the driver was thrown off the vehicle and sustained multiple injuries. In another case the police while holding the door handle of a car was dragged several meters away! Thanks to number of complaints, the police authorities have now woken up to issue clarification in the matter.

According to the Additional Commissioner (traffic), an officer of the rank of Assistant sub inspector (ASI) or officer above them only can stop motorists and penalize traffic rule violators. They are equipped with a black berry smart phone that records and monitor every fine and offence. City police commissioner has further clarified that unless the motorists have violated any traffic rule the police have no authority to stop the vehicle merely for the sake of checking the documents. This implies that one must be aware of all the traffic rules and if one is confident that he or she has not broken any rule, they have every right to question any cop who stops them.

So far so good, but is it so easy in reality? In majority of the places traffic is manned by police constables and ASI may not be there all the time at all the places. In such a situation, if a constable stops to verify documents, can one dare to refuse? If refused, he can very well tell the ASI later that you have violated some rule and can get you a notice issued at a later date! They can quote 101 reasons for traffic violation if bent upon to teach the motorist a lesson for arguing or questioning their authority. However, the only silver lining is the assurance and press statement given by the ACP (traffic) that based on motorists complaint against the errant traffic police and if found guilty, departmental action would be initiated against them.

Dowry & RTI

Here is good news for ‘dowry’ seekers. The Delhi high court has come out with a ruling that ‘giving dowry under the fear that the proposed marriage may be called off, is not an offence’! The high court quashed the criminal proceedings against the bride and her family after they convinced the court that the dowry was given under pressure as the bride groom’s father had threatened to cancel the marriage. The court felt that bride’s parents were confronted with the unenviable situation either to concede to the dowry demand or face the loss of honor of their family in the society. They can not be faulted for giving dowry as they were victims of the circumstances.

By this judgment, court has proved that it does not consider ‘dowry’ as an offence and can be accepted/taken in the guise of threat or pressure. This should pave way for the disposal to several dowry harassment cases pending in the courts. All that the bridegroom & their family have to do is to ask the bride’s parents to concede in the court that they have done it under fear and honor of the family-‘Ghar ki Izzat’. And, hurray, the case shall be quashed. Now if you are one of the prospective dowry seekers, just ask the bride party of dire consequences because it is no more offence to receive dowry under threat even if they are giving it on their own. This threat will save the skin for any future backlash.

In another case filed before a metropolitan magistrate in Delhi, one RTI (Right to Information) activist has been accused of ‘domestic violence’ by his wife and teenaged daughter. This activist was chosen as the best ‘Citizen’ by a media group!  There are numerous such activists and awareness speakers spearheading their respective campaign on various social issues for a cause but their family life is shattered for some or the other reason including ‘preaching one thing, practicing the other’. These acts of writing, preaching, spearheading for the sake of name and fame only and not practiced by respective people in their personal life exposes them of their dual personality.

 While talking of justice, here is parting tailpiece with no comments-

Learned and highly religious Chief Minister of Karnataka Mr. B. S. Yeddyurappa has advised people to ‘chop the hands’ of officials who demand bribe to extend benefits of government schemes to the entitled family!

 

How safe & faster is e-MO?

The Indian department of Post has replaced the old Money Order form (M.O.) with a new easy to fill eMO form MO-8E (I). As the name suggests, this has been introduced for faster remittance of money keeping in tune with the technology. This new form has certain flaws.

1-     There is no writing space for any kind of personal message to the payee. Instead, there are 21 message codes (just like the one used in Greetings telegram) to be used which may not necessarily cover the purpose for which the eMO is being sent by the sender.

2-     There is no ‘Acknowledgement portion’ which used to be sent back to the sender as a proof of having delivered the money to the payee. Thus, the remitter will have no proof in hand in case of a dispute to prove at a later date that the payee has actually received the money.

3-     As per the existing system, the MO can be tracked only through the postal department website www.indiapost.gov.in

How can a layman or villager track the eMO on computer is a question, the department has to answer. Other wise he has to travel repeatedly all the way to the post office to know the status.

In this context I would like to share my experience. On 14^th May I sent an eMO from Bangalore to a publisher at Faridabad (Haryana) towards cost of a book. In between, the publisher informed me of the non receipt of MO several times whenever I sent reminder. However the website tracking system showed that the MO has travelled through various Post offices like Central Server to Escortnagar Faridabad, to Amarnagar Faridabad to Nhpc colony, Faridabad during the period 15/5 to 26/5. Finally, it showed the date of payment as 26/5. But the publisher kept on repeating the same reason for not sending the book to me.

After waiting for full 2 months, finally I decided to lodge a complaint with the Postal department asking them either to produce me the publisher’s acknowledgement of having received the money or else refund me the MO amount. The department promptly sent me a reply based on the same tracking record stating that ‘The MO was paid to the payee on 25/5’ and that my complaint is settled’. I simply forwarded the reply to the publisher with a note asking them to send the book now or else keep and treat the amount as my donation to them. Believe me; I received the book by courier in a record time of just two days thereafter. Incidentally, the book I ordered was all about ‘creating record’!

The larger question is, if this is a faster mode of remittance, how many days can be reckoned as fast. In the instant case, the eMO sent on 14/5 has reached its destination on 26/5 after full 13 days. More over how many people have time and patience to pursue such matters relentlessly and what if the intention of payee turns out to be doubtful?