Police Commissioner J Mahapatra sits in a chair, flanked by Additional Commissioner of Police M K Tandon and Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) P K Velera and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) Meera Ramniwas. Assistant Commissioners of Police V M Gaur and M S Kevlani stand behind them.

An old woman comes up with a child and falls at Mahapatra's feet. He makes her stand up and then narrate her tale of woe. She says five male neighbours, who murdered her relative eight months ago, were arrested and subsequently released on bail, are now threatening her and demands protection.

Another 60-plus woman comes up with folded hands and requests the police waive the rest of the term for her son Sanjay Suryakant Desai, jailed for the last six years in a `false' narcotics case. He is the family's sole bread-winner, she pleads.

Then comes Mukeshbhai Shah, a physically challenged man, who complains that parking of vehicles even in no parking zones makes it extremely difficult for people like him to cross the road. Damjibhai Mohanbhai Prajapati of Pratap Nagar alleges his brother Rameshbhai Prajapati is harassing him and asks that he be reprimanded.

A newly married woman from Kahar Mohalla, Navapura, alleges that her parents-in-law are treating her as a servant for failing to meet their dowry demands.

Interestingly, a complaint is also lodged on behalf of Homai Vyarawala, India's first woman photographer, who says the police verification for her passport has not been despatched to the Ahmedabad regional passport office, though it was completed on May 7. Vyarawala is due to leave for the United States on May 19.

Apart from personal grievances, the police top brass also get to hear complaints more public in nature. Shanabhai Rajput of Jan Jagruti Sangh wants the Nagarwada crossing-Bahucharaji Road stretch to be declared a no-parking zone for trucks and buses.

Councillor Ashok Pawar demands the Wadi police station construction -- pending for the past six months -- be taken up immediately, while Prabhudas Thakkar of the Grahak Suraksha Sangh suggests all dangerous criminals be handcuffed to prevent their escape from police custody.

While police officials say this is the first durbar since Gaekwadi rule, it could only offer assurances, instead of instant justice. It was further hampered by the lack of publicity: only the vernacular newspapers carried a departmental advertisement about it. As a result, barely six dozen people turned up for the public meeting.

According to Mahapatra, the durbar -- the first in the State -- was part of the Police Action Plan prepared by Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya to introduce transparency in police administration. ``They will be held once a month in different parts of the city'', he says, adding that next time round, they'll also plan adequate publicity for the event.