What is Interpol?

Interpol is the shorter and better known name of the International Criminal Police Organization, a network comprising 192 member nations, including India. The agency, with its headquarters in Lyon, France, was established in 1923. It’s website says, “Our role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. Our high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps meet the growing challenges of fighting crime in the 21st century.”

The Interpol's current President is Meng Hongwei, Deputy Minister of Public Security of China, while its Secretary-General is Jürgen Stock, the former deputy head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office.

Since when has India been a member?

India has been a member since 1956. Like any member nation, India maintains a National Central Bureau which serves as the national platform for cooperation between domestic law enforcement units and the international police community. The NCB is the designated contact point for the Interpol. India has collaborated with the Interpol in tackling a myriad of organised crimes such as poaching, wildlife trafficking, spurious drugs and fake medicine rackets, among others.

What does Interpol do?

The Interpol basically connects police across the world even if these individual member nations do not have diplomatic relations. The Interpol facilitates information exchange, knowledge sharing and research between nations. This is done by issuing colour-coded 'notices' in four languages - English,Spanish, French, and Arabic. The Interpol doesn't have law enforcement powers such as arrest. When a member nation approaches it with a specific request backed with court orders, the Interpol sends it out to other countries. The information received is sent back to the country.

Red Notice                                                                             

A Red Notice is a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition. It is issued by the General Secretariat at the request of a member country or an international tribunal based on a valid national arrest warrant. However, the arrest of the fugitive is based on the rule of the member nation where he or she is located.

Thanjavur painting

• Thanjavur painting is a classical South Indian painting style, which was inaugurated from the town of Thanjavur and spread across the adjoining and geographically contiguous Tamil country.
• The art form draws its immediate resources and inspiration from way back about 1600 AD, a period when the Nayakas of Thanjavur under the suzerainty of the Vijayanagara Rayas encouraged classical dance and music—as well as literature, both in Telugu and Tamil and painting of Hindu religious subjects in temples.
• It is distinguished by its famous gold coating.Thanjavur painting originated in the Maratha court of Thanjavur (1676 - 1855).
• It has been recognized as a Geographical indication by the Government of India in 2007-08.

Thanjavur paintings are characterised by

• rich, flat and vivid colors, simple iconic composition, glittering gold foils overlaid on delicate but extensive gesso work and inlay of glass beads and pieces or very rarely precious and semi-precious gems.
• In Thanjavur paintings one can see the influence of Deccani, Vijayanagar, Maratha and even European or Company styles of painting.
• The subjects of most paintings are Hindu gods, goddesses, and saints. Episodes from Hindu Puranas, Sthala-puranas and other religious texts were visualised, sketched or traced and painted with the main figure or figures placed in the central section of the picture surrounded by several subsidiary figures, themes and subjects.
• There are also many instances when Jain, Sikh, Muslim, other religious and even secular subjects were depicted in Tanjore paintings.

Thanjavur paintings are

• panel paintings done on wooden planks, 
• In modern times, these paintings have become souvenirs for festive occasions in South India

Prakash singh case police reforms directives

The seven directives are:

1. Limit political control

Constitute a State Security Commission to:

• Ensure that the state government does not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure on the police.
• Lay down broad policy guidelines.
• Evaluate the performance of the state police.

2. Appoint based on merit

• Ensure that the Director General of Police is appointed through a merit-based, transparent process, and secures a minimum tenure of 2 years.

3. Fix minimum tenure

• Ensure that other police officers on operational duties (including Superintendents of Police in charge of a district and Station House Officers in charge of a police station) are also provided a minimum tenure of 2 years.

4. Separate police functions

• Separate the functions of investigation and maintaining law and order.

5. Set up fair and transparent systems

• Set up a Police Establishment Board to decide and make recommendations on transfers, postings, promotions and other service-related matters of police officers of and below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.

6. Establish a Police Complaints Authority in each state

• At the state level, there should be a Police Complaints Authority to look into public complaints against police officers of and above the rank of Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct, including custodial death, grievous hurt or rape in police custody.
• At the district level, the Police Complaints Authority should be set up to inquire into public complaints against the police personnel of and up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct.

7. Set up a selection commission

• A National Security Commission needs to be set up at the union level to prepare a panel for selection and placement of chiefs of the Central Police Organizations with a minimum tenure of 2 years.

The Supreme Court asked for immediate implementation. Initially, the court monitored the compliance of its judgement and although the orders were to be followed by all the states and Union Territories, compliance was found unsatisfactory.