Pradhan Commission Explained
Pradhan Commission, officially known as the High-Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC) on 26/11, the Pradhan Commission was appointed by the Maharashtra Government on 30 December 2008, to probe the response to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.[1]
This was a two-member commission comprising former home secretary R. D. Pradhan and former IPS officer Vappala Balachandran. The commission evaluated lapses in the law enforcement agencies and suggests measures to prevent events like 26/11 Mumbai attacks.[2] [3] [4] On 21 December 2009 the commission report was presented to the then chief minister described the Mumbai attacks as "war-like" attack and also found that it was beyond the capacity of the Mumbai Police.[5] The commission submitted its report to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in April 2009, but the government did not release it, citing security concerns. In December 2009, after substantial portions of the report had been leaked in the media and much agitation had been conducted by the opposition in the state assembly, a Marathi translation was tabled before the assembly.
Aims
The aim of the commission was to "analyse how far the existing procedures, instruments and administrative culture are to be blamed for what are perceived as lapses. Our stress is on identifying systemic failures," as opposed to blaming individuals.[6]
Findings
- Intelligence
- Action to Handle the Attacks
- Means to Face Terrorist Attacks
- Command and Control
- Coastal Security
- Modernisation of Police
- Anti-Terrorist Squad
- Flying Squads
- Handling of Security Intelligence at Operational Levels
Members
- R.D. Pradhan (chair), formerly Union Home Secretary in the Rajiv Gandhi government.
- Vappala Balachandran, former special secretary, Cabinet Secretariat.
References
- The Times of India published the entire report on its web site. The link is mis-named in the middle of the story. News: Senior officers don't even look at intelligence reports: 26/11 panel . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025150823/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-12-02/india/28085705_1_control-room-intelligence-reports-vinita-kamte . dead . 2012-10-25 . 2009-12-02 . Dhume . . Sunil .
- https://web.archive.org/web/20120910203103/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-15/mumbai/29777553_1_terror-attacks-coastal-areas-ips-officer Mumbai blasts: Govt fails to keep its word, 3 yrs on
- https://web.archive.org/web/20121021210751/http://www.sify.com/news/Pradhan-Committee-finds-39-total-confusion-39-in-processing-alerts-news-jmbs4fedjdg.html "Pradhan Committee finds 'total confusion' in processing alerts"
- https://web.archive.org/web/20121021210915/http://www.sify.com/news/maharashtra-government-rejects-pradhan-panel-report-news-national-jgqvaUgdace.html "Maharashtra government rejects Pradhan panel report"
- News: Pradhan Committee finds serious lapses on Gafoor's part . The Hindu . 21 December 2009.
- The text of the report, as a Microsoft Word document.News: High Level Enquiry Committee on 26/11 . R.D. Pradhan and V. Balachandran . 2009-04-18 . Maharashtra Government vide GAD GR No: Raasua.2008/C.R.34/29-A, 30th Dec 2008 . Times of India.