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The Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2007 - Legislative Brief [2007] INPRSLS 6 (13 August 2007)

Legislative Brief

The Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2007


The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 13th August, 2007 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs (Chairperson: Smt. Sushma Swaraj).


The Standing Committee is scheduled to submit its report within three months.

Highlights of the Bill

Key Issues and Analysis

Recent Briefs:

The Judges (Inquiry) Bill, 2006

October 3, 2007


The Representation of the People Amendment Bill, 2006

September 25, 2007


Omair Ahmad

omair@prsindia.org


November 02, 2007


PRS Legislative ResearchCentre for Policy Research Dharma Marg Chanakyapuri New Delhi – 110021

Tel: (011) 2611 5273-76, Fax: 2687 2746



PART A: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BILL1

Context

Over the last decade there has been a strong growth among private security and detective agencies, with more than 500,000 people being employed for the purpose, primarily by private security agencies.2 There was no existing legislation to specifically regulate their work until the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 was passed. The Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2007 is based on that Act.3 It provides for the regulation of private detective agencies through the granting of licences and specifies the parameters within which the agencies shall operate within the country, as well as the penalties for offences related to their work. The Bill provides for the establishment of regulating agencies at both the central and the state levels.

Key Features

Licensing of Private Detective Agencies

Private Detective Agencies and Agents

Cancellation of Licence

Offences and Penalties



PART B: KEY ISSUES AND ANALYSIS

Definition of Private Detective Agency and Work

T

Clauses

2 (h), 7

he definition of “private detective agency” combined with the prohibition of private detective work without a licence could make the entire Bill inapplicable in practice. The Bill specifies that “no person can carry out or commence the business of private detective agency unless he holds a licence issued under the Act”. A private detective agency is defined as “a person...holding a valid licence to carry out the detective work.” Therefore, according to the Bill, a person without a licence, no matter what service he provides (including surveillance work), is not performing the business of a private detective agency
(as defined in the Bill), and the provisions of this Bill would not apply to him.



A

Clauses

2 (g), 2 (h)

lso, the definitions of “private detective work” and “private detective agency” depend on each other. The Bill defines private detective work as “collection of information in a lawful manner for such an objective by a licensed detective agency”. A private detective agency is defined as a person who carries out detective work.



I

Clause

2 (g)

t is also not clear what “such an objective” refers to in the definition of private detective work. All information gathering work, including surveys and academic research, could potentially be defined as private detective work as long as it is carried out by a licensed private detective agency.



The legislation in some other countries, which have Acts regulating private detectives, list the specific services that a private detective is permitted to offer.

Table 1. Private Detective Agency Regulation in Certain Countries


Private Detective Work

Licensed Person

Licence Issuing / Revoking Agency

Citizenship of Agent

California, US

Investigating crimes, the antecedents or movements of a person, providing security, etc.

Agent

Director of Consumer Affairs

No requirement

Alberta, Canada

Obtaining information about personal character, searching for missing persons, etc.

Agent

Administrator designated by Minister of Justice and Attorney General

No requirement

Queensland, Australia

Being paid to give information on another person

Agent

Chief Executive of Department

No requirement

Singapore (Existing)

Obtaining information about personal character, searching for missing persons, etc.

Agent

Public Officer appointed by Minister

No requirement

Singapore (Proposed)

Obtaining information about personal character, searching for missing persons, etc.

Agent and Agency

Public Officer appointed by Minister

No requirement

India (Proposed)

Unspecified

Agency

State or Central Board / state or central governments (revoking only)

Indian citizenship required

Sources: Business and Professions Code Chapter 11.3: Private Investigator (California); Private Investigators and Security Guards Act, R.S.A. 2000 (Alberta); Security Providers Act, 1993 (Queensland); Private Investigation and Security Agencies Act, 1985 (Singapore); Private Security Industry Bill, 2007 (Singapore); Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2007 (India); PRS.

Right to Privacy and Surveillance by Private Agents

T

Clause

28

he Bill makes it an offence for an agent to violate the right to privacy of an individual. The Supreme Court has held, in several cases, that the right to privacy is inherent to the fundamental right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. In a 1962 Supreme Court decision, the majority decided that surveillance by the police was constitutionally valid; however, the minority dissent held this to be violative of Article 21 (right to life) and Article 19(d) (right to freedom of movement) of the Constitution.
4


The Supreme Court has also said that, “as a concept it may be too broad and moralistic to define it judicially. Whether right to privacy can be claimed or has been infringed in a given case would depend on the facts of the said case.”5 In another case it stated that, “the right to privacy in any event will necessarily have to go through a process of case-by-case development” and that it “must be subject to restriction on the basis of compelling public interest.”6 All of these judgements are with regard to surveillance by state agencies, and it is unclear how they would apply when the surveillance is conducted by private agencies.

Registration and Licensing

Licensing of Agency versus Licensing of Private Detective

T

Clauses

7, 13

he Bill issues a licence to the agency rather than an individual agent. In several other countries the licence is issued to individuals rather than agencies.
7 See Table 1.





Citizenship Requirement to be Private Detective

T

Clause

13 (1) (a)

he Bill states that only citizens of India may apply to be private detectives. In similar legislation in various other countries there is no such clause. It is unclear why foreign nationals with valid visas permitting them to work in India are not allowed to work as private detectives.





Citizenship Requirement for Majority Shareholding in Agency

A

Clause

9 (2)

licence may not be issued to a company, firm or association of persons “if it is not registered in India, or having a proprietor or a majority shareholder, partner or director, who is not a citizen of India.” Majority Indian shareholding is not required in many other sectors. Furthermore this appears to permit, for instance, a company held by three foreign shareholders where each holds a one-third stake. This would fulfil the requirement that none of them, individually, is a majority shareholder.



Revocation or Suspension of Licence Directly by Government

T

Clauses

4 (3), 6 (3)

he issuing Board may cancel or suspend a licence if an agency does not fulfil the conditions of the licence. In addition, the Bill states that the state or central government may revoke or suspend licences directly in case of a danger to public order or national security, and shall inform the concerned Board afterwards. In the case of similar legislation in many other parts of the world the power to revoke or suspend licences is held only by the agency authorised to issue them.



Licence May be Granted or Refused within 90 Days

T

Clause

10 (4)

he Bill states that a Board may either grant or refuse an application for a licence within ninety days. It is not a mandatory maximum limit and the Board may take as long as it likes to come to a decision.





Composition of Central / State Board

T

Clauses

3 (2), 5 (2)

he Bill stipulates the maximum number of representatives of private detective agencies and chambers of trade and commerce on the Central and State Boards, but does not specify a minimum number. It is possible for the Boards to be composed solely of government appointees.







1Notes

. This Brief has been written on the basis of the Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2007, which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 13th August, 2007 and referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs (Chairperson: Smt. Sushma Swaraj). The Standing Committee is scheduled to submit its report within three months.

2. The Union Home Minister, Mr. Shivraj Patil, stated that private security firms employed 500,000. “Govt Plans to Rope in Private Agencies for Intelligence”, The Sunday Express, November 5, 2006. http://www.indianexpress.com/story/16040.html.

3. “Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2007 introduced in Rajya Sabha”, Press Information Bureau press release, http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=29847.

4. Kharak Singh vs the State of UP & Ors, 1963 AIR 1295, 1964 SCR (1) 332.

5. PUCL v State of India 1996(9), Judgment dated December 18, 1996 in W.P. (C) No. 246 of 1991. In this judgement, it held that tapping of telephones violated this right.

6. Govind vs. State of Madhya Pradesh and Anr., [1975] INSC 75; AIR 1975 SC 1378.

7. In Singapore the proposed Private Security Industry Bill, 2007 requires a private detective agency to have its own licence, and all agents working for it would also be required to have individual licences.



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