Delhi Police should continue under home ministry: PC

Finance minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday stated that the central government would prefer if the Delhi Police remained under the home ministry, while continuing with their responsibility of maintaining law and order in the national capital.

"Successive governments have maintained that the responsibility for law and order in the capital should remain with the central government, as is the practice in most capitals across the world," Chidambaram said after a cabinet meeting.

Chidambaram ruled out Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit's suggestion that the Delhi Police be placed under the state government, saying the issue had been debated when he held the home portfolio earlier. "The current arrangement is an appropriate one," he added.

The finance minister said some changes were carried out during his period as home minister by involving the lieutenant governor and consulting the chief minister more often. "If further changes are required, we can look into that. This is not the time to debate these matters," said Chidambaram.