IN BIHAR-jahangiri bell of justice "Ek call bell jo hamesha suni jati hai.":- "People know that someone is there who is willing to listen to their grievances."

This one's a ringing testimony to how justice was meted out in historical times. Following the example of Mughal emperor Jahangir who had installed a huge bell at his palace to ensure his subjects got instant redressal, a senior police officer in Bihar has put in place his own version of the 'Jahangiri ghanti.' Arvind Pandey, inspector general of police (Darbhanga zone) installed the ghanti - which in this case is an electronic push button one — at his official residence on Republic Day. Since then, he claims it has been rung by over 450 people who have reported their problems directly to him. 

"The Jahangiri ghanti is a synonym of justice. Our purpose is to reach out to people who can't convey their problems to senior officials directly," says the 1988-batch IPS officer. 

The ghanti has already become the talk of the town. Outside Pandey's residence, a huge sign board proclaims proudly: "Ek call bell jo hamesha suni jati hai." Ring the bell and the constable on duty ensures the complainant is ushered in and his problem attended to. Jawwad Ali Khan, a local contractor, says the bell has instilled a sense of confidence especially among the poor. "People know that someone is there who is willing to listen to their grievances." 

Not all complainants, though, come with issues that directly concern the police. For instance, Naseema Khatoon, who pressed the bell last week, came with a complaint of wrong billing by the electricity department. Pandey says he did not discourage her but instead asked the in-charge of the relevant police station to solve the matter. "People are coming to us because they have faith in the police. Therefore, they should get solutions for their problems," says the officer who has also initiated the concept of 'paramarsh sabhas.' In these sabhas, the police helps locals resolve issues like land disputes which figure high on the list of complaints for which the ghanti is pressed. 

The positive response to the bell has prompted Pandey to get senior police officials in ten districts of the state — which fall under his jurisdiction — to install similar bells at their residences. "Almost one-fourth of the state police is now covered by the Jahangiri ghanti," he says. 

Incidentally, this is not the first time that the officer has experimented with the ghanti. When he was posted in Muzaffarpur as deputy inspector general (DIG), he had installed a similar bell there as well, which he says, was much appreciated by the people. "The system is easy to implement as a number of policemen are posted at the official residence of senior officials who have nothing much to do. They can be gainfully deployed this way," he says. 

source:Faizan Ahmad,TNN,TOI