Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi announced in the state Assembly on Wednesday that anybody can register an FIR -first information report – anywhere in city without worrying about jurisdiction limits of police stations. This would help affected persons file a complaint quickly and avoid a considerable amount of running around figuring out how and where to get an FIR registered.
One of the often repeated excuses for not filing an FIR is the jurisdiction limit. People are often told to go to another police station where they may directed elsewhere. Now cops can no longer hide behind such excuses. Such a measure is to appreciated.

The CM was replying to the debate on demand for grants for the home department and prohibition and excise. He said that the police have been directed to accept complaints and immediately register FIRs irrespective of the place of occurrence of crime or police station limits. They should also take prompt action based on the FIRs, which could be forwarded to the police stations concerned for appropriate action, he added.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to print FIR forms at government printing press in an effort to eliminate fake forms, Mr. Karunanidhi said. The decision has been taken following the detection of fake FIRs involving false accident insurance claims. Hence, the practice of printing these forms in private presses would be stopped.

Ok, now on to the personal story: Once I lost my wallet in Hyderbad, where I was a journalist with The Times of India. I had not much money in it, but my ID card was there. Office rules demanded that I register an FIR to get a new ID card. When I went to the police station they told me to go to a different station nearby. When I went there, the cops there told me that they werent sure if they could register the case either. Disgusted, I returned to the office. But now at least in Chennai, people like me would hopefully have no such problems anymore.