In all these cases, the representatives have either brokered a meeting with the police or, taking sides, have made representations to the government.

The police prevented luxury buses from entering the city from January 1 this year and continued to do so for almost two months until, succumbing to pressure from city representatives in the Legislative Assembly and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, the State government ruled that buses be allowed inside during the night.

City leaders met even the chief minister on the issue, urging him to check the police drive against vehicles entering the city without the stage carriage permit.

Even in the police drive against erring autorickshaw drivers, it was State Law Minister Hemant Chapatwala who first brokered a meeting between the police and the agitating rickshaw unions. With that compromise formula lasting only four days, the unions today sought the intervention of a Union minister in a purely local legal tangle.

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Dhirubhai Desai was severe in his criticism of the practice. ``They (elected representatives) have jobs to do in the assemblies and Parliament. "By no means should they interfere with the implementation of the law.

"Implementation is supposed to be done by the police. Let them do it. I disapprove of this sort of intervention in policing,'' he said when contacted.

Noted social worker and Gandhian Hakumat Desai, however, differed. He said that elected representatives had the right to intervene as the rickshaw issue was directly connected to the people. ``It is their job to ensure poor people's welfare,'' he said, pointing out that because of the price rise, it was almost impossible for the common man to engage an autorickshaw by the meter.

``Even the law is for the people and police are meant for people's welfare. "This should be kept in mind first,'' he commented, adding that though a section of rickshaw drivers were indulging in irregularities, all should not be penalised for it.