Speaking at the 'State Level Convergence Meeting to Address Violence Against Women and Children' in Kohima, Sharma said the proposed system would allow residents to submit grievances to the police even when it is later determined that the matter is civil rather than criminal in nature.

Under the new system, complaints received at a police station will be assigned by the officer-in-charge to an investigating officer for a preliminary inquiry.

The officer will assess whether the complaint relates to a cognisable offence, a non-cognisable offence or a purely civil dispute.

If a cognisable offence is established, the police station will be required to register an FIR and in non-cognisable cases, complainants may be advised to approach a magistrate, while purely civil matters will remain outside the police's jurisdiction, he said.

The DGP said the portal would also enable complainants to electronically monitor the progress of their cases and, in accordance with the provisions of the new criminal laws, download copies of police inquiry reports.

Senior police officials, from the police station level up to the DGP, will be able to monitor complaints and their disposal through the system, he added.

According to Sharma, the system could help police identify patterns in repeated complaints involving child abuse, domestic violence, stalking and similar offences, creating opportunities for timely intervention before such behaviour escalated.

He stressed that people facing abuse or violence needed accessible avenues for seeking help and urged victims to report incidents to the authorities.

The DGP acknowledged gaps in the implementation of existing government mechanisms, saying that while several agencies have mechanisms in place, they often lack the capacity required to respond effectively on the ground.

He urged victims and members of the public to report incidents of violence, noting that under-reporting makes it difficult for authorities to assess the scale of the problem and plan resources such as manpower, shelters, vehicles and helplines.

He also clarified that police cannot intervene in purely civil disputes, but said the presence of a criminal element gives police grounds to intervene.

Sharma also cautioned NGOs, civil society organisations and members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, particularly in cases involving cognisable offences.