An Act for the Regulation of Police.
The Police Act, 1861 has 46 sections in 1 chapter, amended 19 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.
The Police Act, 1861 PDF
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Official copy of the Act from India Code (Legislative Department, Government of India).
All sections of the Police Act, 1861
- Section 1 – Interpretation clause
- Section 2 – Constitution of the forces
- Section 3 – Superintendence in the State Government
- Section 4 – Inspector-General of Police, etc
- Section 5 – Powers of Inspector General Exercise of power
- Section 6 – Magisterial powers of police officers (omitted/repealed)
- Section 7 – Appointment, dismissal, etc., of inferior officers
- Section 8 – Certificates to police officers
- Section 9 – Police-officers not to resign without leave or two months’ notice
- Section 10 – Police-officers not to engage in other employment
- Section 11 – Police superannuation fund (omitted/repealed)
- Section 12 – Power of Inspector-General to make rules
- Section 13 – Additional police-officer employed at cost of individuals
- Section 14 – Appointment of additional force in the neighbourhood of railway and other works
- Section 15 – Quartering of additional police in disturbed or dangerous districts
- Section 15A – Awarding compensation to sufferers from misconduct of inhabitants or persons interested in land
- Section 16 – Recovery of moneys payable under sections 13, 14, 15 and 15A, and disposal of same when recovered
- Section 17 – Special police-officers
- Section 18 – Powers of special police-officers
- Section 19 – Refusal to serve as special police-officers
- Section 20 – Authority to be exercised by police-officers
- Section 21 – Village police-officers
- Section 22 – Police-officers always on duty and may be employed in, any part of district
- Section 23 – Duties of police-officers
- Section 24 – Police-officers may lay information, etc
- Section 25 – Police-officers to take charge of unclaimed property, and be subject to Magistrate’s orders as to disposal
- Section 26 – Magistrate may detain property and issue proclamation
- Section 27 – Confiscation of property if no claimant appears
- Section 28 – Persons refusing to deliver up certificate, etc., on ceasing to be police-officers
- Section 29 – Penalties for neglect of duty, etc
- Section 30 – Regulation of public assemblies and processions and licensing of the same
- Section 30A – Powers with regard to assemblies and processions violating conditions of license
- Section 31 – Police to keep order in public roads, etc
- Section 32 – Penalty for disobeying orders issued under last three sections, etc
- Section 33 – Saving of control of Magistrate of district
- Section 34 – Punishment for certain offences on roads, etc
- Section 35 – Jurisdiction
- Section 36 – Power to prosecute under other law not affected
- Section 37 – Recovery of penalties and fines imposed by Magistrates
- Section 41 – Rewards to police and informers payable to General Police Fund (omitted/repealed)
- Section 42 – Limitation of actions
- Section 43 – Plea that act was done under warrant
- Section 44 – Police-officers to keep diary
- Section 45 – State Government may prescribe form of returns
- Section 46 – Scope of Act
- Section 47 – Authority of District Superintendent of Police over village police