Bedi was speaking at the function to release her book and CD-ROM It's Always Possible at the Press Club here on Wednesday. The book is the author's account of how she transformed Tihar Jail -- the largest prison in the world. ``The book is the word and the CD-ROM shows the visual transformation process of prisoners,'' the author said.

Dwelling on changes needed in the existing Police Act, Kiran Bedi said that law and order should be separated from the investigation process to ensure speedy conclusion of cases and conviction. She said that a Security Commission should be set up so that the Director General of Police would be selected without any interference.

The former superintendent of Tihar Jail who brought about unprecedented changes in its administration, however, wantedcapital punishment to stay. She felt her views on capital punishment was not contradictory to her jail reforms which was woven around the concept of giving human beings a chance to lead a better life.

``I am for reconstructive justice and not for retributive justice. But the law must not appear weak. The tiger must retain its teeth and remain a benign one,'' she said. The need for an expeditious trial was the most important thing to ensure justice, she said.

Reverting back to her book, she said that Tihar jail had the largest prison population in a democratic country. ``I have visited prisons all over the world, but never once have I come across a prison with more than 1500 inmates. Tihar jail holds an incredible 9,700 people,'' she said to drive home the enormity of task accomplished by her.

Midway through her interaction with mediapersons, former Chief Election Commissioner T N Seshan arrived to share the stage with her. He was dressed in the traditional Malayali jubba and mundu, relaxed and went onquoting manipravalam verses at random with childish abandon.

``She is like my daughter,'' he said pointing to Bedi. The daughter went a generation ahead and described Seshan as her `grandfather'.

``Kiran is indefatigable and undefeatable. She had left a blazing trail in all that she has done,'' Seshan said. She paid back the compliment in equal measure.

``Seshan is a living legend. That says it all. He made a dead or rather sleeping institution to realise its full potential. The methodology may be debatable, but he will always be remembered for his message that nobody is above law''.