In force · As amended up to 2026-08
1. Subs. by the A.O. 1950, for "Provincial Government" which had been subs. by the A.O. 1937, for "L.G.".
1. Short title given by the Indian Short Titles Act, 1897 (14 of 1897).
— This Act has been applied to
the SonthalParganas by the SonthalParganas Settlement Regulation,1872 (3 of 1872), s. 3;
the Town of Calcutta and its suburbs, with modifications by the Calcutta Police Act, 1898 (Ben.1 of 1898);
the Khondmals District by the Khondmals Laws Regulation, 1936 (4 of1936), s. 3 and Schedule;
the Angul District by the Angul Laws Regulation, 1936 (5 of 1936), s. 3 and Schedule; and
the areas transferred to Orissa from the Madras Presidency, by the Orissa Laws Regulation, 1936 (1 of 1936).
It has been declared, by notification under section3(a) of the Scheduled Districts Act, 1874 (14 of 1874), to be in force in — the following Scheduled Districts, namely:
The District of Hazaribagh, Lohardaga (now the Ranchi District, see Calcutta Gazette, 1899 PartI, p.44) and Manbhum and ParganaDhalbhum and the Kolhan in the District of Singhbhum, see Gazette of India, 1881, PartI p.504, and the Porahat Estate in the Singhbhum District, see Gazette of India, 1897, PartI, p 1059.
It has been extended, by notification under s. 5 of the same Act, to the Kumaon and Garhwal Districts, see Gazette of India, 1891, PartI, p.185, and (with the exception of s. 5) to the Scheduled District of Coorg, see Gazette of India, 1914, PartII, p.2347.Ss. 15, 15A, 16, 30, 30A, 31 and 32 have been extended to the Scheduled Districts in Ganjam and Vizagapatam, see Fort St.George Gazette, 1898, PartI, p.667, and Gazette of India, 1898, PartI, p.873.The whole Act has been extended to the Amindivi Islands attached to the South Kanara District; see Fort St.George Gazette, 1935, PartI, p.1202.
It has been extended to the Merged States and the States of Bhopal, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh and Kutch by the Merged States (Laws) Act, 1949 (59 of 1949), and to the States of Manipur, Tripura and Vindhya Pradesh by the Part C States (Laws) Act, 1950 (30 of 1950).
It has been extend to -
(1) and brought into force in Dadra and Nagar Haveli (w.e.f. 1-7-1965) by Reg. 6 of 1963, s. 2 and the First Schedule;
(2) Laccadive Minicoy and Amindivi Islands (w.e.f. 1-10-1967): vide Reg. 8 of 1965, s. 3 and Schedule;
(3) the whole of Madhya Pardesh by M.P. Act 23 of 1958 (when notified); and
(4) Goa, Daman and Diu with modifications, by Reg. 12 of 1962, s. 3 and the Schedule.
As to special enactments in force in Madras, Bombay and Lower Provinces of Bengal, and extensions of this Act under
the power conferred by section46, see notes to that section.
1. Under s. 2 of Police Act, 1888 (3 of 1888), the Central Government may, notwithstanding this provision, create a special police-district, consisting of parts of two or more States. As to Delhi State, see Gazette of India, 1912, Pt. I, p. 1105.
2. Subs. by the A.O. 1950, for "Province".
3. Ins. by Act 8 of 1895, s. 1.
4. Subs. by the A.O. 1950, for "Provincial Government" which had been subs. by the A.O. 1937, for "L.G."
As to special enactments for Military, Frontier or Rural Police in force in certain parts of the States, see footnote to section8.
As to the creation of special police-districts embracing parts of two or more Provinces and the extension to every part thereof the powers and jurisdiction of members of a police force belonging to any part of the States, see the Police Act, 1888 (3 of 1888).
— The Act has been amended in its application to
the C.P.and Berar by C.P. and Berar Act 3 of 1937; Madras by Madras Act 13 of 1948; the U.P. by U.P. Acts 2 of 1939, 2 of 1944 and 32 of 1952;Punjab by E.P. Act 30 of 1948; Pondicherry by Pondicherry Act 7 of 1968; West Bengal by West Bengal Act 5 of 1973; Orissa by Orissa Acts 5 of 1976 and 34 of 1976 and Sikkim by Skkim Act 7 of 1980. Repealed in its application to Bellary District by Mysore Act 14 of 1955.
the word " Magistrate" shall include all persons within the general police-district, exercising all or any of the power of a Magistrate:
the word "police" shall include all persons who shall beenrolled under this Act:
the words "general police-district" shall embrace any[1] presidency,[2] [State] or place, or any part of
any presidency,[2] [State] or place, in which this Act shall be ordered to take effect:
1. See, however, paragraph 4 of the India and Burma (Transitory Provisions) Order, 1937. S. 41 Read as follows: —" All sums paid for the service of process by police-officers, and all rewards, forfeitures and penalties or shares of rewards, forfeitures and penalties which by law are payable to informers shall, when the information is laid by a police-officer, be paid into the General Police Fund".
3[the words "District Superintendent" and "District Superintendent of Police" shall include any Assistant District Superintendent or other person appointed by general or special order of the[4] [State Government] to perform all or any of the duties of a District Superintendent of Police under this Act in any district:]
the word "property" shall include any moveable property money, or valuable security:
5* * * * *
the word "person" shall include a company or corporation:
the word "month" shall mean a calendar month:
6the word "cattle" shall, besides horned cattle, include elephants, camels, horses, asses, mules, sheep, goats and swine.
7[References to the subordinate ranks of a police force shall be construed as references to members of that force below the rank of Deputy Superintendent.]
Source: India Code