2007-12-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

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APPENDIX 24
THE DELHI POLICE ACT, 1978
(No. 34 of 1978)
[27th August, 1978]
An Act to amend and consolidate the law relating to the regulation of the police in the Union
territory of Delhi.
Be it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows:
CHAPTER I
Preliminary
1. Short title, extent and commencement. (1) This Act may be called the Delhi Police Act. 1978.
(2) It extends to the whole of the Union territory of Delhi.
(3) It shall be deemed to have Code in to force on the 1st day of July, 1978.
2. Definitions . In this Act, unless .he context otherwise requires.
(a) “Administrator” means the Administrator of Delhi appointed under Article 239 of the
Constitution;
(b) “cattle” includes elephants, camels, horses, asses, mules, sheep, goats and swine;
(c) “competent authority”, when used with reference to the exercise of any power of discharge of
any duty under the provisions of this Act, means the Commissioner of Police appointed under
Sec. 6 or any other police officer specially empowered in that behalf by the central
Government;
(d) “constable” means a police officer of the lowest grade;
(e) “Corporation” means the Municipal Corporation of Delhi constituted under the Delhi Municipal
Corporation Act. 1957 (66 of 1957);
(f) “Delhi” means the Union territory of Delhi;
(g) “Delhi police” or “police force” means the police force referred to in Sec. and includes-
(i) all persons appointed as special police officers under sub-section (1) of Sec. 17 and
additio nal police officers appointed under Sec. 18 ; and
(ii) all other persons, by whatever name known, who exercise any police function in any pan of
Delhi;
(h) “eating House” means any place to which the public are admitted and where any kind of food
or drink is supplied for consumption on the premises by any person owning, or having any
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interest in, or managing, such place and includes -
(i) a refreshment room, boarding house or coffee house; or
(ii) a shop where any kind of food or drink is supplied to the public for consumption in or near
such shop;
but does not include a place of public entertainment,
(i) “municipality” means the New Delhi Municipal Committee, the Cantonment Board or any
other municipal body, other than the Corporation, established by or under any law for the time
being in force in or any part of Delhi;
(j) “place” includes-
(i) any building, tent, booth or other erection, whether permanent or temporary; and
(ii) any area, whether enclosed or open;
(k) “place of public amusement” means any place where music, singing, dancing or game or any
other amusement, diversion, or recreation or the means of carrying on the same is provided, to
which the public are admitted either on payment of money or with the intention that money
may be collected from those admitted and includes a race course, circus, theatre, music ball,
billiard or bagatelle room, gymnasium, fencing school, swimming pool or dancing hall;
(l) “place of public entertainment” means a lodging house, boarding and lodging house or
residential hostel and includes any eating house or other place in which any kind of liquor or
intoxicating drug is supplied (such as a tavern or a shop where beer, spirit, arrack, toddy, ganja,
bhang or opium is supplied) to the public for consumption in or near such place;
(m) “police officer” means any member of the Delhi police;
(n) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules;
(o) “public place” means any place to which the public have access, whether as of right or not, and
includes-
(i) a public building and monument and precincts thereof; and
(ii) any place accessible to the public for drawing water, washing or bathing or for purposes of
recreation;
(p) “regulations” means regulations made under this Act;
(q) “rules” means rules made under this Act;
(r) “street” includes any highway, bridge, way over a causeway,
(s) “subordinate ranks” means members of the police force of and below the rank of the Inspector;
(t) “vehicle” means any carriage, cart, van, dray, truck, handcart or other conveyance of any
description and includes a bicycle, tricycle, a rickshaw, a motor vehicle, a vessel or an
aeroplane.
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CHAPTER II
Organisation, Superintendence and control of the police force
3. One police force for the whole of Delhi. There shall be one police, force for the whole of Delhi
and all officers and subordinate ranks of the police force shall be liable for posting to any branch of
the force including the Delhi armed police.
4. Superintendence of police force to vest in the Administrator. The Superintendence of the Delhi
police throughout Delhi shall vest in, and be exercisable by the Administrator and any control,
direction or supervision, exercisable by any officer over any member of the police force shall be
exercisable subject to such superintendence.
5. Constitution of police force. Subject to the provisions of this Act,-
(a) the Delhi police shall consist of such number in the several ranks and have such organisation
and such powers, functions and duties as the Administrator may, by general or special order,
determine; and
(b) the recruitment to, and the pay, allowances and all other conditions of service of the members
of, the Delhi police shall be such as may be prescribed:
Provided that nothing in Cl. (b) shall apply to the recruitment to, and he pay, allowances and other
conditions of service of the members of the, Indian Police Service or the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands Police Service.
6. Commissioner of Police. For the direction and supervision of the police force in Delhi, the
Administrator shall appoint a Commissioner of Police who shall exercise and perform such powers
and duties and perform such functions as are specified by or under this Act.
7. Additional Commissioner of Police. (1) The Administrator may appoint one or more Additional
Commissioners of Police for the purposes of this Act.
(2) The Additional Commissioner of Police shall-
(a) assist the Commissioner of Police in the exercise of his powers and the performance of his
duties in such manner and to such extent, and
(b) exercise such powers and performs such duties of the Commis sioner of Police and within
such local limits,
as the Administrator may, by general or special order, specify.
8. Deputy, Additional Deputy and Assistant Commissioners of Police. (l) The Administrator may
appoint one or more Deputy Commissioners of Police or Additional Deputy Commissioners of
Police or Assistant Commissioners of Police for the purposes of this Act.
(2) Without prejudice to the other provisions of this Act and subject to any general or special
orders made by the Administrator in this behalf, every Deputy Commissioner of Police or
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police shall, under
the orders of the Commissioner of Police, exercise such of the powers (except the power to
make regulations) and perform such of the duties of the Commissioner of Police and within
such local limits as may be specified in such orders.
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9. Appointment of Principals of Police training institutions. (1) (a) The Administrator shall appoint
a police officer not below the rank of a Deputy Commissioner of Police to be the Principal of the
Police Training School for Delhi.
(b) The Commissioner of Police may by general or special order assign to the Principal of the
Police Training School such powers and duties as he may deem fit for the proper
functioning of that School.
(2) (a) The Administrator may establish a Police Training College for Delhi and appoint a police
officer of appropriate rank to be the Principal of such College.
(b) The Commissioner of Police may by general or special order assign to the Principal of the
Police Training College such powers and duties as he may deem fit for the proper
administration of that College.
10. Constitution of police districts, sub-divisions and police stations . Subject to the control of the
Administrator, the Commissioner of Police shall-
(a) constitute police districts within Delhi;
(b) divide such police districts into police sub-divisions and specify the police stations
comprised in each such sub-division ; and
(c) define the limits and extent of such police districts, police sub-divisions and police stations.
11. Officers -in-charge of police districts, police sub divisions and police stations. (1) Each police
district shall be under the charge of a Deputy Commissioner of Police who may be assisted in the
discharge of his duties by one or more Additional Deputy Commissioners of Police.
(2) Each police sub-division shall be under the charge of an Assistant Commissioner of Police and
each police station shall be under the charge of an Inspector of Police.
12. Appointment of subordinate ranks. Subject to such general or special orders in writing as the
Administrator may make in this behalf,-
(a) Inspectors of Police may be appointed by the Additional Commissioner of Police; and
(b) Sub-Inspectors of Police and other officers of subordinate rank may be appointed by the
Deputy Commissioners of Police, Additional Deputy Commissioners of Police, Principal of
the Police Training College or of the Police Training School, or any other police officer of
equivalent rank.
13. Certificate or appointment. (1) Every police officer of the rank of Inspector and below shall on
enrolment receive a certificate of appointment.
(2) The certificate shall be issued under the seal of such officer, and shall be in such form, as the
Administrator may, by general or special order, specify.
(3) A certificate of appointment shall become null and void when the person named therein cases to
belong to the Delhi police or shall remain inoperative during the period such person is
suspended from the Delhi police.
14. Effect of suspension of police officer. The powers, functions and privileges vested in a police
officer shall remain suspended while such police officer is under suspension from office:
Provided that notwithstanding such suspension such person shall not cease to be a police officer
and shall continue to be subject to the control of the same authorities to which he would have been
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subject if he bad not been under suspension.
15. General powers of Commissioner of Police. The Commissioner of Police shall direct and
regulate all matters of arms drill, exercise, observation of persons and events, mutual relations,
distribution of duties, study of laws, orders and modes of proceedings and all matters of executive
detail or the fulfilment of their duties by the police force under him.
16. Power of Commissioner of Police to investigate and regulate matters of police accounts. The
Commissioner of Police shall have the authority to investigate and regulate all matters of account
connected with the Delhi police and all persons concerned shall be bound to give him reasonable
aid and facilities in conducting such investigations and to conform to his orders consequent thereto.
17. Special police officers . (1) The Commissioner of Police may, at any time, by a written order,
signed by himself and sealed with his own seal, appoint any able bodied male person not less than
eighteen year of age, whom he considers fit, to be a special police officer to assist the Delhi police
on any occasion, when he has reason to apprehend the occurrence of any riot or grave disturbance
of the peace in any area and be is of opinion that the ordinary police force is not sufficient for the
protection of persons residing, and for the security of property, within such area.
(2) The Commissioner of Police shall publish the names of special police officers appointed under
this section in such manner as may be prescribed.
(3) Any person objecting to the appointment of any person as such special police officer may send
his reasons for such objection to the Commissioner of Police within fifteen days of such
appointment and the Commissioner may accept such objection and cancel the appointment of
such officer or, after giving to the objector an opportunity to be heard, reject the objection.
(4) Every special police officer appointed under this section shall, on appointment -
(a) receive a certificate of appointme nt in such form as may, be specified by the Administrator
in this behalf ;
(b) have the same powers, privileges and immunities and perform the same duties and be
subject to the same authorities as an ordinary police officer.
18. Additional police officers . Where additional police officers are required to be deputed under Sec.
38, Sec. 39 or Sec. 40 the Commissioner of Police may appoint such number of additional police
officers as be considers necessary and every such additional police officer shall, on appointment,-
(a) receive a certificate of appointment in such form as may be specified by the administrator
in this behalf;
(b) have such of the powers, privileges and immunities and perform such of the duties of a
police officer as are specifically ment ioned in the certificate; and
(c) be subject to the same authorities as an ordinary police officer of the same or similar rank
or grade.
CHAPTER III
Regulation, control and discipline of the Delhi police
19. Framing of regulations for administration of the police. Subject to the orders of the
Administrator, the Commissioner of Police may make regulations not inconsistent with this Act or
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any other law for the time being in force
(a) regulating the inspection of the police force by his subordinates;
(b) determining the description and quantity of arms, accoutrements clothing and other
necessaries to be furnished to .the police; ,
(c) prescribing the places of residence of members of the police force;
(d) for institution, management and regulation of any police fund for any purpose connected
with police administration;
(e) regulating the distribution, movements and location of the police;
(f) assigning duties to police officers of all ranks and grades, and prescribing the manner in
which, and the cond itions subject to which they shall exercise and perform their respective
powers and duties;
(g) regulating the collection and communication by the police of intelligence and information ;
(h) generally, for the purpose of rendering the police efficient and preventing abuse or neglect
of their duties.
20 Commissioner of Police may call for returns . The Commissioner of Police may call for such
returns, reports and statements on any subject connected with the prevention and detection of
crime, the maintenance of order and the performance of the duties of his subordinates as such
subordinates may be able to furnish to him.
21. Powers of punishment. (1) Subject to the provisions of Art. 311 of the Constitution and the rules,
the Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police,
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Principal of the Police Training College or of the
Police Training School or any other officer of equivalent rank, may award to any police officer of
subordinate rank any of the following punishments, namely:
(a) dismissal;
(b) removal from service;
(c) reduction in rank;
(d) forfeiture of approved service;
(e) reduction in pay;
(f) withholding of increment; and
(g) fine not exceeding one month’s pay.
(2) Subject to the rules-
(a) any police officer specified in sub-section (1) may award the punishment of censure to any
police officer of subordinate rank;
(b) the Assistant Commissioner of Police may award the punishment of censure to police
officers of, or below, the rank of Sub-Inspectors of Police;
(c) any police officer of, and above, the rank of Inspector may award punishment drill not
exceeding fifteen days or fatigue duty or any other punitive duty to constables.
(3) Nothing in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall affect any police officer’s liability for
prosecution and punishment for any offence committed by him.
(4) The Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of
Police, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Principal of the Police Training College or
of the Police Training School, Assistant Commissioner of Police, or any other police officer of
equivalent rank may suspend any police officer of subordinate rank who is reasonably
suspected to be guilty of misconduct, pending an investigation of enquiry into such misconduct.
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(5) An Inspector of Police may suspend any police officer below the rank of Sub-Inspector of
Police, who is reasonably suspected to be guilty of misconduct, pending an investigation or
enquiry into such misconduct.
22. Procedure for awarding punishments. When any officer passes an order of awarding a
punishment of dismissal, removal from service, reduction in rank, forfeiture of service, reduction in
pay, withholding of increments, or fine, he shall record such order or cause the same to be recorded
together with the reasons therefor, in accordance with rules.
23. Appeal from orders of punishment . An appeal against any order of punishment passed against a
police officer under Sec. 21 or the rules thereunder [not being an order of punishment under Cl. (c)
of sub-section (2) of that section] shall lie-
(a) where the order is passed by the Commissioner of Police, to the Administrator;
(b) where the order is passed by an Additional Commissioner of Police, to the Commissioner of
Police;
(c) where the order is passed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police Additional Deputy
Commissioner of Police, Principal of the Police Training College or School, Assistant
Commissioner of Police or any other officer of equivalent rank, to the Additional Commissioner
of Police.
24. Police officers to be deemed to be always on duty and to be liable to employment in any part
of Delhi. Every police officer not on leave or under suspension shall for all purposes of this Act be
deemed to be always on duty and any police officer or any number or body of police officers
allocated for duty in any part of Delhi may, if the Commissioner of Police so directs, at any time,
be employed on police duty in any other part of Delhi for so long as the services of the police
officer or number or body of police officers may be required in such other part of Delhi.
25. Circumstances under which police officer of subordinate rank may resign. (1) Resignation of
any police officer of subordinate rank may be accepted only by the officer empowered to appoint
(the officer so empowered to appoint being hereafter in this section referred to as the appointing
authority) officers of such subordinate rank.
(2) A police officer of subordinate rank who intends to resign from police service shall give to the
appointing authority notice in writing to that effect and shall not be permitted to withdraw
himself from duty unless he has been granted permission to resign by such authority and two
months have elapsed from the date on which be tendered his resignation:
Provided that the appointing authority may at his discretion, permit a Head Constable or a
constable to withdraw himself from duty on his crediting to the Government two months’ pay in lieu of
notice.
(3) A Head Constable or a constable who has agreed to serve for any specific period may not be
permitted to resign before the expiry of that period.
(4) Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors or Assistant Sub Inspectors of Police, whose appointments involve
training at any Police Training College or Police Training School may not be permitted to
resign within three years from the date of their successfully completing the training.
(5) No police officer of subordinate rank whose resignation has been accepted by the appointing
authority shall be permitted to withdraw from duty until he has fully discharged all debts, due
from him as such police officer to Government or to any police fund and has surrendered his
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certificate of appointment, arms, accoutrements, uniform and all other Government property in
his possession and has also rendered a complete account of a1l Government money and
property for which he is responsible.
(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section if any police officer of subordinate rank
tenders his resignation on medical grounds and produces a certificate signed by the police
surgeon or any other medical officer authorised by the Administrator in this behalf declaring
him to be unfit by reason of disease or mental or physical incapacity for further service in the
police, the appointing authority shall forthwith permit him to withdraw from duty on his
discharging, or giving a satisfactory security for the payment of, any debt due from him as such
police officer to Government or to any police fund:
Provided that he shall forthwith return the certificate of appointment, arms, accoutrements,
uniform and all other Government property in his possession before he is permitted to withdraw from
duty.
(7) If any such police officer of subordinate rank resigns or withdraws himself from the duties of
his office in contravention of this section, he shall be liable on the orders of the appointing
authority to forfeit all arrears of pay then due to him in addition to the penalty to which he may
be liable under Sec. 22 or any other law for the time being in force.
(8) Every such police officer on leaving the service in the Delhi police as aforesaid shall be given
by the appointing authority a Discharge Certificate in such form as may be prescribed.
26. Certificate, arms, etc. to be delivered by persons ceasing to be n police officer. (l) Every
person who for any reason ceases to be a police officer shall forthwith deliver to the officer
empowered by the Commissioner of Police, the Additional Commissioner of Police, Deputy
Commissioner of Police, Principal of the Police Training College or of the Police Training School,
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police or any other officer of equivalent rank to whom such
officer is subordinate to receive the same, his certificate of appointment and the arms,
accoutrements, clothing and other accessories which have been provided to him for the
performance of duties and functions connected with his office.
(2) (a) Any Metropolitan Magistrate and, for special reasons which shall be recorded in writing at
the time the Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police. Principal of the
Police Training College or of the Police Training School or a Deputy Commissioner,
Additional Deputy Commissio ner or an Assistant Commissioner of Police may issue a
warrant to search for and seize wherever they be found, any certificate, arms, accoutrements,
clothing or other accessories not delivered under sub-section (1).
(b) Every warrant so issued shall be executed by a police officer or, if the Metropolitan
Magistrate or the police officer issuing the warrant so directs, by any other person in the
same manner as if it were a warrant for a search issued under the Code of Criminal
Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).
(3) Nothing in this section shall apply in relation to any article which under the orders of the
Commissioner of Police has become the property of the person to whom the same was
provided.
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27. Occupation of and liability to vacate, premises provided for police officers . (1) A police
officer occupying any premises provided by the Commissioner of Police for his residence shall
(a) occupy the same subject to such terms and conditions as may, by general or special order,
be specified by the Commissioner of Police; and
(b) notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, vacate the same
on his ceasing to be a police officer or whenever the Commissioner of Police or any officer
authorised by the Administrator in this behalf considers it, for reasons to be recorded in
writing, necessary and expedient to require him to do so.
(2) If any person who is bound or required under sub-section (1) to vacate any premises fails to do
so, the Administrator or the officer authorised in this behalf by the Administrator may order
such person to vacate the premises and may direct any police officer with such assistance as
may be necessary to enter upon the premises and remove therefrom any person found therein
and to take possession of the premises and deliver the same to any person specified in the
direction.
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CHAPTER IV
Police Regulations
28. Power to make regulations for regulating traffic and for preservation of order in public
places, etc. (1) The Commissioner of Police may, by notificatio n in the official Gazette, make
regulations to provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:
(a) licensing and controlling persons offering themselves for employment, outside railway
stations and other places where passengers arrive, for the carriage of passengers’ baggage
and fixing and providing for the enforcement of a scale of charges for the labour of such
persons so employed;
(b) regulating traffic of all kinds in streets and other public places, and the use of streets and
other public places by persons riding, driving, cycling, walking or leading or accompanying
cattle, so as to prevent danger, obstruction or inconvenience to the public;
(c) regulating the conditions under which vehicles may remain standing in streets and other
public places, and the use of streets as halting places for vehicles or cattle;
(d) specifying the number and position of lights to be used on vehicles in streets and the hours
between which such light should be used;
(e) licensing, controlling or prohibiting the erection, exhibition, fixation or retention of any
sign, device or representation for the purpose of advertisement, which is visible against the
sky from some point in any street and is hoisted or held aloft over any land, building or
structure at such height as may be specified in the regulations, having regard to the traffic in
the vicinity, and the likelihood of such sign, device or representation at that height being a
distraction, or causing obstruction, to such traffic;
(f) specifying certain hours of the day during which cattle shall not be driven, or, as the case
may be, driven only in accordance with such regulations, along the streets, or along certain
specified streets;
(g) regulating the leading, driving, conducting or conveying of any elephant or wild or
dangerous animal through or in any street;
(h) regulating and controlling the manner and mode of conveying timber, scaffold poles,
ladders, iron girders, beams or bars, boilers or other unwieldy articles through the streets,
and the route and hours for such conveyance;
(i) licensing, controlling or, in order to prevent obstruction, inconvenience, annoyance, risk,
danger or damage to the residents or passengers in the vicinity, prohibiting the carrying in
streets and public places of gunpowder or any other explosive substance;
(j) prohibiting, except along certain specified streets and during specified hours and subject to
such conditions as may be specified in that behalf, the exposure or movement in any street
of persons or animals suffering from contagious or infectious diseases, the carcasses of
animals or parts of such carcasses or corpses of persons deceased;
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(k) specifying certain hours of the day during which odour or offensive matter or objects shall
not be taken from or into houses or buildings in certain streets or conveyed through such
streets except in accordance with such regulations;
(1) setting apart places for slaughtering animals, the cleaning of carcasses or hides, the deposit
of noxious or offensive matter and for obeying calls of nature;
(m) in cases of existing or apprehended epidemic or infectious disease of men or animals, the
cleanliness and disinfection of premises by the occupier thereof and residents therein and
the segregation and management of the persons or animals diseased or supposed to be
diseased, as may have been directed or approved by the Administrator, with a view to
prevent the disease or check the spread thereof;
(n) directing the closing or disuse, wholly or for certain purposes, or limiting to certain
purposes only, the use of any source, supply or receptacle of water and providing against
pollution of the same or of the Water therein;
(o) licensing, controlling or, in order to prevent obstruction, inconve nience, annoyance, risk,
danger or damage to the residents or passengers in the vicinity, prohibiting the playing of
music, the beating of drums, tom-toms or other instruments and the blowing or sounding of
horns or other noisy instruments in or near streets or other public places;
(p) regulating the conduct of or behaviour or action of persons constituting assemblies and
processions on or along the streets and specifying in the case of processions, the routes by
which, the order in which, and the times at which, the same may pass;
(q) prohibiting the hanging or placing of any code or pole across a street or part thereof, or the
making of a projection or structure so as to obstruct traffic or the free access of light and
air;
(r) prohibiting, except in accordance with such regulations, the placing of building materials or
other articles or the fastening or detention of any horse or other animals in any street or
public place;
(s) licensing, controlling or in order to prevent obstruction, inconvenience, annoyance, risk,
danger or damage to the residents or passengers in the vicinity, prohibiting-
(i) the illumination of streets and public places exteriors of building abutting thereon by
servants of Government or Corporation officers duly authorised in that behalf,
(ii) the blasting of rock or making excavations in or near streets or Public places,
(iii) the using of a loudspeaker in or near any public place or in any place of public
entertainment;
(t) closing certain streets or places temporarily, in cases of danger from ruinous buildings or
other cause, with such exceptions as shall appear reasonable;
(u) guarding against injury to person and property in the construc tion, repair and demolition of
buildings, platform sand other structures from which danger may arise to passengers,
neighbours or the public;
(v) prohibiting the setting of fire to or burning of any straw or other matter, or lighting a bonfire
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or wantonly discharging a fire-arm or air-gun, or letting off or throwing a fire work or,
sending up a fire baloon or rocket in or upon a street or within fifty feet of a street or
building or the putting up of any post or other thing on the side of or across a street for the
purpose of affixing thereto lamps or other contrivances for illumination except in
accordance with regulations in this behalf;
(w) regulating the hours during which and the manner in which any place for the disposal of the
dead, any dharamshala, village- gate or other place of public resort may be used, so as to
secure the equal and appropriate application of its advantages and accommodation find to
maintain orderly conduct amongst those who resort thereto;
(x) (i) licensing or controlling places of public amusement or public entertainment;
(ii) prohibiting the keeping of places of public amusement or public entertainment or
assembly, in order to prevent obstruction, inconvenience, annoyance, risk, danger or
damage to the residents or passengers in the vicinity; and
(iii) regulating the means of entrance and exit at places of public amusement or public
entertainment or assembly and providing for the maintenance of public order and the
prevention of disturbance thereat;
(y) (i) licensing or controlling in the interest of public order, decency or morality or in the
interest of the general public (with such exceptions as may be specified in such
regulation), musical, dancing, mimetic or theatrical or other performances for public
amusement, including melas;
(ii) regulating in the interest of public order, decency or morality or in the interest of the
general public, the employment of artists and the conduct of the artists and the
audience at such performances;
(iii) prior scrutiny of such performances and of the scripts in respect thereof, if any, and
granting of suitability certificate therefor subject to conditions, if any, by a Board
appointed by the Administrator for the purpose, either for the whole of Delhi or for
the area concerned or by an Advisory Committee constituted by the Commissioner of
Police (the members of the, Board or the Advisory Committee being persons who in
the opinion of the Administrator or, as the case may be, the Commissioner, possess
knowledge of, or experience in, literature, the theatre and other matters relevant to
such scrutiny), provision for appeal against the order or decision of the Board or the
Advisory Committee to an appellate authority, its appointment or constitution, its
procedure and other matters ancillary thereto, and the fees (whether in the form of
court. fee stamps or otherwise) to be charged for the scrutiny of such performances or
scripts, for applications for obtaining such certificates and for issuing duplicates
thereof and in respect of such appeals and any such performances and of the scripts in
respect thereof granted suitability certificate by any State shall be exempted from this
section;
(iv) regulating the hours during which and the places at which such performances may be
given;
(z) regulating or prohibiting the sale of any ticket or pass for admission, by whatever name
called, to a place of public amusement ;
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(za) registration of eating houses, including granting a certificate of registration in each case,
which shall be deemed to be a written permission required and obtained under this Act for
keeping the eating house, and annual renewal of such registration within a specified period;
(zb) prescribing the procedure in accordance with which any licence or permission sought to be
obtained or required under this Act should be applied for and fixing the fees to be charged
for any such licence or permission:
Provided that nothing in this section and no licence or certificate of registration granted under
any regulation made thereunder shall authorise any person to import, export, transport,
manufacture, sell or possess any liquor, or intoxicating drug, in respect of which a licence,
permit, pass or authorisation is required under any law relating to prohibition which is for the
time being in force.
(2) The power to make regulations under Cl. (b) of sub-section (1) shall b:: subject to the control of
the Administrator and the power to make regula tions under the other clauses of that sub section
shall be subject to the previous sanction of the Administrator.
(3) The power of making regulations under this section shall be subject to the condition of the
regulations being made, after previous publication and for the purposes of Sec. 23 of the
General Clauses Act, 1897 (10 of 1897), such regulations shall be deemed to be rules; and
every regulation made, under this section, shall also be published in the locality affected
thereby by affixing copies thereof in conspicuous places near to the building, structure, work or
place, as the case may be, to which the same specially relates or by proclaiming the same by the
beating of drum or by advertising the same in such local newspapers in Hindi, Urdu and
English, or in two or more of these languages, as the Commissioner of Police may deem fit, or
by any two or more of these means, or by any other means he may think suitable:
Provided that any such regulation may be made without previous publication if the Commissioner
of Police is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary that such regulation should be
brought into force at once.
(4) If any regulation made under this section relates to any matter with respect to which there is a
provision in any law, rule or bye-law of the Corporation or of any other municipal or local
authority in relation to public health, convenience or safety of the locality such regulation shall
be subject to such law, rule or bye-law.
29. Power to give directions to the public. The Commissioner of Police and, subject to the orders, if
any, made by the Commissioner or Police, every police officer not inferior in rank to an Inspector,
may from time to time as occasion may arise, but not so as to contravene any regulation made
under Sec. 28 or any law, rule, or bye- law referred to in sub-section (4) of that section, give all
such orders either orally or in, writing as may be necessary to-
(a) direct the conduct of, and behaviour or action of, persons constituting processions or
assemblies on or along streets;
(b) specify the routes by which and the times at which any such processions may pass or shall
not pass;
(c) prevent obstructions -
(i) on the occasion of all procession and assemblies; and
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(ii) in the neighbourhood of all p1aces of worship during the time of worship ; and
(iii) in all cases when any street or public place or place of public resort may be thronged
or liable to be obstructed ;
(d) keep order on, and in, all streets, and at, and within, public bathing and washing places,
fairs, temples, mosques, gurdwaras, churches and all other places of public resort or public
worship;
(e) regulate and control the playing of music, singing or the beating of drums, tom-toms and
other instruments and the blowing or sounding of horns or other noisy instruments in, and
near, any street or public place;
(f) regulate and control the use of loudspeakers in residential areas, streets, near any public
places and places of public amusement or public entertainment; or
(g) make reasonable orders consequential to, and in furtherance of, any orders made under this
section.
30. Power to prohibit certain acts for prevention of disorder. (1) the Commissioner of Police
may, whenever and for such time as he shall consider necessary for the preservation of public
peace or public safety, by notification publicly promulgated or addressed to individuals, prohibit, in
relation to the: whole of Delhi or any part thereof, -
(a) the carrying of arms, cudgels, swords, spears, bludgeons, guns, knives, sticks or lathis, or
any other article, which is capable of being used for causing physical violence;
(b) the carrying of any corrosive substance or explosives;
(c) the carrying, collection or preparation of stones or other missiles or instruments or means of
casting or impelling missiles;
(d) the exhibition of persons or corpses;
(e) the public utterance of cries, singing of songs or playing of music; or
(f) the delivery of harangues, the use of gestures or mimetic representations, and the
preparation, exhibition, or dissemination, of pictures, symbols, placards or any other subject
or thing which may, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Police, offend against decency
or morality or undermine the security of the State.
(2) If any person goes armed with any such article as is referred to in Cl. (a) of sub-section (1) or
carries any corrosive substance or explosive or missile or instrument in contravention of any
prohibition under that sub section, the article, corrosive substance or explosive or missile shall
be liable to be seized from him by any police officer.
(3) The Commissioner of Police may, by notification publicly promulgated prohibit any assembly
or procession whenever and for such lime as he considers such prohibition to be necessary for
tl1e preservation of the public order.
(4) No notification promulgated under sub-section (3), shall remain in force for more than fifteen
days from the promulgation thereof:
Provided that if the Administrator considers it necessary so to do for the preservation of the public
order he may, by order published in the official Gazette, direct that such notification shall remain in
force for such further period not exceeding six months from the date on which it would have, but for
such order, expired as he may specify in the said order.
15
31. Police to provide against disorder, etc., at places of public amusement or public assembly or
meeting. (1) For the purpose of preventing serious disorder or breach of the law or manifest and
imminent danger to the persons assembled at any place of public amusement or at any assembly or
meeting to which the public are invited or which is open to the public, any police officer of the
rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector and above, present at such place of public amusement, or such
assembly or meeting, may subject to such rules, regulations and orders as may have been lawfully
made give such reasonable directions as to the mode of admission of the public to, and for securing
the peaceful and lawful conduct of the proceedings and the maintenance of the public safety at,
such place of amusement or such assembly or meeting as he thinks necessary and all persons shall
be bound to conform to every such reasonable direction.
(2) Every police officer shall have free access to every place of public amusement, assembly or
meeting for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of sub-section (1) and to any direction
made thereunder.
32. Power to prohibit, etc. continuance of music sound or noise. (1) If the Commissioner of
Police is satisfied from the report of an officer in charge of a Police Station, or other information
received by him, that it is necessary to do so in order to prevent annoyance, disturbance, discomfort or
injury, or risk of annoyance, disturbance, discomfort or injury, to the public or to any person who
dwells, or occupies property, in the vicinity, he may, by written order, issue such directions as he may
consider necessary to any person for preventing, prohibiting, controlling or regulating-
(a) the incidence or continuance in any street, open space or any other premises of-
(i) any vocal or instrumental music;
(ii) in sounds caused by the playing, beating, clashing, blowing or use in any manner
whatsoever of any instrument, appliance or apparatus or contrivance which is capable
of producing or reproducing sound: or
(iii) use of loudspeaker or other apparatus for amplifying any musical or other sound at
such pitch or volume as may cause disturbance to others, or
(b) the, carrying, on, in any premises, of any trade, avocation or operation resulting in or
attended with noise:
Provided that no directions shall be issued to any person under Cl. (b) without giving to such
person an opportunity of being heard in the matter.
(2) The Commissioner of Police may, either on his own motion or on the application of any person
aggrieved by an order made under sub-section (1), either rescind, modify or alter any such
order:
Provide that before any such application is disposed of, the Commissioner of Police shall afford to
the applicant an opportunity of appearing before him either in person or by counsel and showing cause
against the order and shall, if he rejects any such application either wholly or in part, record the reasons
for such rejection.
33. Issue of order for prevention of riot, etc. (1) In order to prevent or suppress any riot or grave
disturbance of peace, the Commissioner of Police may temporarily close or take possession of any
building or other place and may exclude all or any persons therefrom, or may allow access thereto
to such persons only and on such terms as be shall deem expedient and all persons concerned shall
16
be bound to conduct themselves in accordance with such orders as the Commissioner of Police
may make and notify in exercise of his powers under this section.
(2) If the lawful occupant of such building or place suffers any loss or injury by reason of the
action taken under sub-section (1), be shall be entitled, on an application made therefor to the
competent authority within one month from the date of such action, to receive reasonable
compensation for such loss or injury, unless such action was in the opinion of such competent
authority rendered necessary either by the use to which such building or place was put, or
intended to be put, or by the misconduct of persons having access thereto.
(3) In the event of any dispute in relation to the amount of compensation payable under sub-section
(2), or the person to whom such amount shall be payable, the matter shall be referred by the
competent authority to the District Collector whose decision thereon shall be final.
34. Maintenance of order at religious or ceremonial display, etc. (1) in any case of an actual or
intended religious or ceremonial or corporate display or exhibition or organised assemblage in any
street or public place, as to which or the conduct of, or participation in, which, it shall appear to the
competent authority that a dispute or contention exists, which is likely to lead to grave disturbance
of the peace, the competent authority may give such orders as to the conduct of the persons
concerned towards each other and towards the public as it shall deem necessary and reasonable
under the circumstances, regard being had to the apparent legal rights and to any established
practice of the parties and of the persons interested and all persons concerned shall obey such
orders.
(2) Every such order shall be published in. the locality or place wherein it is to operate.
(3) Every order under sub-section (l) shall be subject to any judgment, decree, injunction or order
made by a court having jurisdiction, and shall be rescinded or altered on its being made to
appear to the competent authority that such order is inconsistent with a judgment, decree,
injunction or order of such court.
35. Commissioner of Police may take special measures to prevent outbreak of epidemic disease at
fairs, etc. (1) Whenever it shall appear to the Commissioner of Police that any place in Delhi
(being a place where on account of a pilgrimage, fair or other such occurrence, large bodies of
persons have assembled or are likely to assemble) is visited or likely to be visited with an outbreak
of any epidemic disease, he may in consultation with the Corporation or municipality within the
local limits of the jurisdiction whereof such place is situated take such special measures and may
by a public notice prescribe such regulations to be observed by residents of the said place and
persons present thereat or repairing thereto or returning therefrom as he deems necessary to prevent
the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof.
(2) The expenses incurred by the Commissioner of Police in respect of the arrangements for
sanitation and the preservation of order at or about the place of assembly referred to in subsection
(1) may be recovered from the Corporation or the municipality concerned.
36. Power to reserve street or other public place for public purpose and power to authorise
erecting of barriers in streets. (1) The Commissioner of Police may, by public notice,
temporarily reserve for any public purpose any street or other public place and prohibit persons
from entering the area so reserved, except on such conditions as may be specified by him.
17
(2) The Commissioner of Police may, whenever in his opinion such action is necessary, -
(a) authorise such police officer as be thinks-fit to erect barriers on any street for the purpose of
stopping temporarily vehicles driven on such street so as to satisfy himself that the
provisions of any law for the time being in force have not been contravened in respect of
any such vehicle or by the driver or the person in charge of such vehicle; and
(b) make such orders as be deems fit for regulating the use of such barriers;
37. Power to make regulations prohibiting disposal of the dead except at places set apart. (1)
The Commissioner of Police may, from time to time, make regulation prohibiting the disposal of
the dead, whether by cremation, burial or otherwise at places other than those set apart for such
purpose:
Provided that no such regulations shall be made in respect of any area for which places have not
been so set apart:
Provided further that the Commissio ner of Police or any officer authorised by him in this behalf
may, in his discretion, on an application made to him by any person, grant to such person permission to
dispose of the corpse of any deceased person at any place other than a place so set apart, if in his
opinion such disposal is not likely to cause obstruction to truffle or disturbance of the public peace or
is not objectionable for any other reason.
(2) Any regulations made under subsection (1) shall specify the places set apart for the disposal of
the dead of different communities or sections or communities.
(3) All such regulations shall be deemed to be rules for the purposes of Sec. 23 of the General
Clauses Act, 1897 (10 of 1897), and shall be subject to the conditions of previous publication
and the date to be specified under clause (3) of that section shall not be earlier than two months
from the date on which the draft of the proposed regulations is published.
CHAPTER V
Special measures for maintenance of public order and security of State
38. Employment of additional police to keep peace. (1) The Commissioner of Police may, on the
application of any person, depute any additional number of police to keep the peace, to preserve
order, to enforce any of the provisions of this Act or for any other law in respect of any particular
class or classes of offences or to perform any other duties imposed on the police at any place in
Delhi.
(2) Such additional police shall be employed at the cost (which shall be determined by the
Commissioner of Police in accordance with the rules made in this behalf) of the person making
the application, but shall be subject to the orders of the police authorities and shall be employed
for such period as the Commissioner of Police considers necessary.
(3) If the person upon whose application such additional Police are employed shall at any time
make a written requisition to the Commissioner of Police for the withdrawal of the said police
he shall be relieved from the cost thereof at the expiration of such period not exceeding one
week from the date of the delivery of such requisition as the Commissioner of Police shall
determine.
(4) Where there is any dispute as to the amount to be paid by way of cost, the Commissioner of
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Police shall, on an application made in that behalf by the aggrieved party, refer the matter to the
District Collector, whose decision thereon shall be final.
39. Employment of additional police in cases of special danger to public peace. (1) If in the
opinion of the administrator any area in Delhi is in a disturbed or dangerous condition or the
conduct of the inhabitants or of any particular section or class of the inhabitants of such area
renders it expedient to employ temporarily additional police in the area, he may, by notification in
the official Gazelle, specify the area (hereafter in this section referred to as the disturbed area) in
which and the period for which the additional police shall be employed and thereupon the
Commissioner of Police shall depute such number of additiona l police officers as he considers
necessary, in the disturbed area:
Provided that the period so specified may be extended by the Administrator from time to time, if
in his opinion it is necessary so to do in the interests of the public.
(2) On the issue of a notification under sub-section (1), the Administrator may require the District
Collector, or any other authority specified by the Administrator, to recover whether in whole or
in part, the cost of such additional police generally from all persons who are inhabitants of the
disturbed area or specially from any particular section or class of such persons, and in such
proportion as the Administrator may direct.
(3) It shall be lawful for the Administrator to exempt by order in writing, and for sufficient reasons,
any person from liability to bear any portion of the cost of such additional police.
Explanation.- In this section and in Sec. 41, the expression “inhabitants”, when used in relation to
any disturbed area, includes persons who themselves or by their agents or servants occupy or hold land
or other immovable property within such area and landlords who themselves or by their agents or
servants collect rent from holders or occupants of land in such area notwithstanding that they do not
actually reside therein.
40. Employment of additional police at large work and when apprehension regarding behaviour
of employees exists . (1) Whenever it appears to the Administrator or to the competent authority
that-
(a) any large work which is being carried on or any public amusement which is being
conducted in any place is likely to impede the traffic or to attract a large number of people;
or
(b) the behaviour or a reasonable apprehension of the behaviour of the persons employed on
any railway, canal or other public work or in or upon any manufactory or other commercial
concern, under construction or in operation at any place necessitates the employment of
additional police at such place,
the administrator, or the competent authority, as the case may be, may depute such number
of additional police to the said place for so long as the necessity to employ the additional
police shall appear to the Administrator or the competent authority to continue.
(2) Such additional police shall be employed at the cost of the person by whom the work, public
amusement, manufactory or concern is being cons tructed. conducted or carried on and the said
person shall pay the costs therefor at such rates as the Administrator or the competent authority,
as the case may be, shall from time to time require.
19
41. Compensation for injury caused by unlawful assembly how recoverable. (1) When any loss
or damage is caused to any property or when death results or grievous hurt is caused to any person
or persons, by anything done in the prosecution of the common object of an unlawful assembly, the
Administrator may by notification in the official Gazette, specify the area (hereafter in this section
called the “disturbed area”) in which, and the date on which or the period dur ing which, such
unlawful assembly was, in his opinion, held.
(2) On the issue of a notification under sub-section (1), the District Collector may, after such
enquiry as he deems necessary, determine the amount of the compensation which, in his
opinion, should be paid to any person or persons in respect of the loss or damage or death or
grievous hurt aforesaid.
(3) The amount of the compensation shall be deemed to be a fine imposed under this section, and
shall be payable by the inhabitants of the disturbed area.
(4) It shall be lawful for the District Collector to exempt, by order in writing and for sufficient
reasons, any person from liability to pay any portion of the compensation amount.
42. Dispute in regard to cost of deputing additional compensation under Sec. 41. In the event of
any dispute relating to the cost payable under Sec. 39 or Sec. 40 or the compensation determined
under Sec. 41 or the person or persons or the section or class of persons by whom or the proportion
in which such cost or compensation should be paid, the matter shall be referred by the Collector, or
the Administrator or the competent authority, as the case may be, on an application made in that
behalf by the aggrieved party, to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, whose decision thereof shall
be final.
43. Recovery of amount payable under Sec. 38, 39, 40 or 41. Any amount payable under Sec. 38,
See 39, Sec. 40 or Sec. 41 shall be recovered in the same manner as if it were an arrear of land
revenue.
44. Collector to award compensation. (1) Amounts payable under Sec. 38, Sec. 39, Sec. 40 or Sec.
41 shall, when recovered, be credited to the Government.
(2) The District Collector shall pay, from the amount recovered by him as compensation payable
under Sec. 41, such amount as he deems just and proper by way of Compensation to any person
who has suffered loss or damage to property or grievous hurt or to the legal heirs of any person
who died, by reason of anything done in the prosecution of the common object of the unlawful
assembly.
(3) No compensation shall be paid under this section, except when a claim has been made therefor
within forty-five days from the date of the notification referred to in sub-section (1) of Sec. 41
and the District Collector is satisfied that the claimant, where the claim is by the person who
suffered the loss, damage or grievous hurt, or the deceased, where the claim is by the legal heirs
of such deceased, has been free from blame in connection with the occur rence which led to the
loss, damage, grievous hurt or death.
(4) The compensation payable to any person under sub-section (2) shall not in any way be capable
of being assigned or charged or be liable to attachment or to pass to any person other than the
person entitled to it by operation of law, nor shall any claim be set off against the same.
20
(5) No civil suit shall be maintainable in respect of any loss, damage or grievous hurt for which
compensation has been granted under this section.
45. Recovery of amounts payable under Secs. 39 and 41. Without prejudice to the provisions
contained in Sec. 43, all amounts payable under Sec. 39 or Sec. 41 shall be recoverable in the
manner provided in Secs. 421 and 422 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), as if
each such amount were a fine imposed on an offender by a court.
46. Dispersal of gangs and bodies of persons . Whenever it appears to the Commissioner of Police
that the movement or encampment of any gang or body of persons in any part of Delhi is causing
or is calculated to cause danger to person or properly or alarm or reasonable suspicion that
unlawful designs are entertained by such gang or body of persons or by members thereof, the
Commissioner of Police may, by order addressed to the persons appearing to be the leaders or chief
men of such gang or body of persons and published by announcement or beat of drums, or
otherwise as the Commissioner of Police thinks fit direct the members of such gang or body of
persons -
(a) to so conduct themselves as shall seem necessary in order to prevent violence and alarm; or
(b) to disperse and to remove themselves beyond the limits of Delhi, or any part thereof, within
such time as the Commissioner of Police shall specify and not to enter Delhi or the part
thereof, as the case may be, from which they were directed to remove themselves.
47. Removal of persons about to commit offences. Whenever it appears to the Commissioner of
Police-
(a) that the movements or acts of any person are causing or are calculated to cause alarm,
danger or harm to person or property; or
(b) that there are reasonable grounds for believing that such person is engaged or is about to be
engaged in the commission of an offence involving force or violence or an offence
punishable under Chapter XII, Chapter XVI, Chapter XVII or Chapter XXII of the Indian
Penal Code 45 of 1860), or under Sec. 290 or Secs. 489-A to 489-E (both inclusive) of that
Code or in the abetment of any such offence; or
(c) that such person-
(i) is so desperate and dangerous as to render his being at large in Delhi or in any part
thereof hazardous to the community; or
(ii) has been found habitually intimidating other persons by acts of violence or by show of
force; or
(iii) habitually commits affray or breach of peace or riot, or habitually makes forcible
collection of subscription or threatens people for illegal pecuniary gain for himself or
for others ; or
(iv) has been habitually passing indecent remarks on women and girls, or teasing them by
overtures;
and that in the opinion of the Commissioner of Police witnesses are not willing to come forward to
give evidence in public against such person by reason of apprehension on their part as regards the
safety of their person or property, the Commissioner of Police may, by order in writing duly served on
such person, or by beat of drum or otherwise as he thinks fit, direct such person to so conduct himself
21
as shall seem necessary in order to prevent violence and alarm or to remove himself outside Delhi or
any part thereof, by such route and within such time as the Commissioner of Police may specify and
not to enter or return to Delhi or part thereof, as the case may be, from which he was directed to
remove himself.
Explanation.- A person who during a period within one year immediately preceding the
commencement of an action under this section has been found on not less than three occasions to have
committed or to have been involved in any of the acts referred to in this section shall be deemed to
have habitually committed that act. .
48. Removal of persons convicted of certain offences. If a person has been convicted-
(a) of an offence under Chapter XII, Chapter XVI or Chapter XVII of the Indian Penal Code
(45 of 1860) ; or
(b) of an offence under Sec. 3 or Sec. 4 of the Delhi Public Gambling Act, 1955 (Delhi Act 9 of
1955), or under Sec. 12 of that Act in so far as it relates to satta gambling or on two or more
occasions under any other provisions of that Act (including Sec. 12 of that Act in so far as it
does not relate to satta gambling); or
(c) of any offence under the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act, l956
(104 of 1956) ; or
(d) of any offence under Sec. 25, Sec. 26, Sec. 27, Sec. 28 or Sec. 29 of the Arms Act, 1959 (54
of 1959) ; or
(e) of any offence under Sec. 135 of the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962); or
(f) of any offence under Sec. 61, Sec. 63 or Sec. 66 of the Punjab Excise Act, 1955 (Punjab Act
No. 18 of 1955), as in force in Delhi; or
(g) on two or more occasions of an offence under-
(i) the Opium Act, 1878 (1 of 1878) ; or
(ii) the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1930 (2 of 1930) ; or
(iii) the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940) ; or
(iv) section 11 of the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959 (Bombay Act No. 10 of
1960), as in force in Delhi; or
(h) on three or more occasions of an offence under Sec. 105 or Sec. 107 of this Act,
the Commissioner of Police may, if he has reason to believe that such person is likely again to
engage himself in the commission of any of the offences referred to in this section, by order in
writing, direct such person to remove himself beyond the limits of Delhi or any part thereof, by
such route and within such time as the Commissioner of Police may specify and not to eater or
return to Delhi or any part thereof, as the case may be, from which he was directed to remove
himself.
49. Period of operation of orders under Sec. 46, 47 or 48. Any direction made under Sec. 46, Sec.
47 or See 48 not to enter Delhi or any part thereof, shall be for such period as may be specified
therein, and shall in no case exceed a period of two years from the date on which it was made.
22
50. Hearing to be given before order under Sec. 46, 47 or 48 is passed. (1) Before an older under
Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 is mace aga inst any person, the Commissioner of Police shall by notice
in writing inform him of the general nature of the material allegations against him and give him a
reasonable opportunity of tendering an explanation regarding them.
(2) If such person makes an application for the examination of any witness to be produced by him,
the Commissioner of Police shall grant such application and examine such witness, unless for
reasons to be recorded in writ ing, the Commissioner of Police is of opinion that such
application is made for the purpose of causing vexation or delay.
(3) Any written explanation put in by such person shall be filed with the record of the case.
(4) Such person shall be entitled to be represented in the proceeding before the Commissioner of
Police by a counsel.
(5)(a) The Commissioner of Police may for the purpose of securing the attendance of any person
against whom any order is proposed to be made under Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 require
such person, by order in writing to appear before him and to furnish a security bond with or
without sureties for attendance during the inquiry.
(b) The provisions of Secs. 119 to 124 (both inclusive) of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1973 (2 of 1974), shall so far as may be, apply in relation to the order under clause (a) to
furnish security bond.
(6) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions, the Commissioner of Police, while issuing notice
to any person under sub-section (l) may issue a warrant for his arrest and the provisions of
Secs. 70 to 89 (both inclusive) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), shall so
far as may be, apply in relation to such warrant.
(7) The provisions of Sec. 445, Sec. 446, Sec. 447 or Sec. 448 of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1973 (2 of 1974), shall so far as may be, apply in relation to all bonds executed under this
section.
51. Appeal against orders under Sec. 46, 47 or 48. (1) Any person aggrieved by an order made
under Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 may appeal to the Administrator within thirty days from the date
of the service of such order on him.
(2) An appeal under this section shall be preferred in duplicate in the form of a memorandum,
setting forth concisely the grounds of objection to the order appealed against, and shall be
accompanied by that order or a certified copy thereof.
(3) On receipt of such appeal, the Administrator may, after giving a reasonable opportunity to the
appellant to be heard either personally or by a counsel and after such further inquiry, if any, as
he may deem necessary confirm, vary or set aside the order appealed against:
Provided that the order appealed against shall remain in force pending the disposal of the appeal,
unless the Administrator otherwise directs.
(4) The Administrator shall make every endeavour to dispose of an appeal under this section within
a period of three months from the date of receipt of such appeal.
23
(5) In calculating the period of thirty days provided for an appeal under this section, the time taken
for obtaining a certified copy of the order appealed against, shall be excluded.
52 Finality or order in certain cases. An order passed by the Commissioner of Police under Sec 46,
Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 or the Administrator under Sec. 51 shall not be called in question in any Court
except on the ground -
(a) that the Commissioner of Police or the Administrator, as the case may be, had not followed
the procedure laid down in sub-section (1), sub-section (2) or sub-section (4) of Sec. 50 or
in Sec. 51, as the case may be; or
(b) that there was no material before the Commissioner of Police or the Administrator, as the
case may be, upon which he could have based his order; or
(c) in the case of an order made under Sec. 47 or an order in appeal therefrom to the
Administrator under Sec. 51, the Commissioner of Police or the Administrator, as the case
may be, was not of the opinion that witnesses were unwilling to come forward to give
evidence in public against the person against whom such order has been made.
53. Procedure on failure of person to leave the area and his entry therein after removal. If a
person to whom a direction has been issued under Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 to remove himself
from Delhi or any part thereof
(a) fails to remove himself as directed; or
(b) having so removed himself enters Delhi or any part thereof within the period specified in
the order, otherwise than with the permission in writing of the Commissioner of Police
under Sec. 54,
the Commissioner of Police may cause him to be arrested and removed in police custody to such place
outside Delhi or any part thereof as the Commissioner of Police may in each case specify.
54. Temporary permission to enter and consequences of non-observance of conditions of such
permission. (1) The Commissioner of Police or any other police officer specially empowered by
the Administrator in that behalf may, by order in writing, permit any person, in respect of whom an
order under Sec. 46. Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 has been made, to return to Delhi or any part thereof, from
which he was directed to remove himself, for such temporary period and subject to such conditions
as may be specified in such order and nay require him to execute a bond with or without surety for
the due observance of the conditions imposed.
(2) The Commissioner of Police may at any time revoke any such permission.
(3) Any person who with such permission returns to Delhi or any part thereof shall observe the
conditions imposed, and at the expiry of the temporary period for which he was permitted to
return, or on the revocation of such permission before the expiry of such temporary period,
shall remove himself outside Delhi or any part thereof, as the case may be, and shall not return
thereto within the unexpired portion of the period specified in the original order made under
Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 without a fresh permission.
(4) If such person fails to observe any of the conditions imposed, or to remove himself accordingly
or having so removed himself enters or returns to Delhi or any part thereof, as the case may be,
without fresh permission, the Commissioner of police may cause him to be arrested and
removed in police custody to such place outside Delhi or part thereof as the Commissioner of
24
Police may in each case specify.
55. Taking measurements and photographs, etc., of persons against whom an order under Sec.
46, 47 or 48 is made . Every person against whom an order has been made under Sec. 46, Sec. 47
or Sec. 48 shall if so required by the Commissioner of Police, allow his measurements and
photograph to be taken by a police officers in the prescribed manner.
56. Resistance to the taking of measurements, etc. (1) If any person as aforesaid when required to
allow his measurements or photograph to be taken resists or refuses to allow the taking of such
measurements or photograph, it shall be lawful to use all necessary means to secure the taking
thereof,
(2) Resistance to or refusal to allow the taking of measurements or photographs under this Act shall
be deemed to be an offence under Sec. 186 of Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).
(3) Where an order under Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 is set aside in appeal, all measurements and
photographs (including negatives) taken under this section shall be destroyed or made over to
the person against whom such order is made.
57. Banning of use of dress, etc., resembling uniform of armed forces. (1) If the Administrator is
satisfied that the wearing in public, by any member of any body, or association or organisation, of
any dress or article of apparel resembling any uniform required to be worn by a member of the
Armed Force of the Union or by a member of any police force or of any force cons tituted by or
under any law for the time being in force, is likely to prejudice the security of the State or the
maintenance of public order, be may, by a general or special order, prohibit or restrict the wearing,
or display, in public of any such dress or article of apparel by any member of such body or association
or organisation.
(2) Every general or special order under sub-section (1) shall be published in the manner prescribed
for the publication of a public notice under Sec. 142.
Explanation. For the purposes of this section a dress or an article of apparel shall be deemed to be
worn or displayed in public if it is worn or displayed in any place to which the public have access.
58. Constitution of Defence Societies. (1) For the protection of persons, the security of property and
the public safety in any locality the Commissioner of Police may constitute voluntary bodies
(hereafter in this section referred to as Defence Societies) in the prescribed manner.
(2) The Commissioner of Police or any officer of a Defence Society may at any time call up
officers subordinate to him or any member of a Defence Society for training or to discharge any
of the duties under this Act assigned to them.
(3) Every officer or member of a Defence Society shall-
(a) on appointment receive a certificate in such form as may be specified or approved by the
Administrator, in this behalf; and
(b) when called up for duty have the same powers, privileges and protection as are vested in a
police officer appointed under this Act
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, an officer or
member of a Defence Society shall not be disqualified for being chosen as, or for being, a
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member of-
(a) the Delhi Metropolitan Council or the Municipal Corporation of Delhi; or
(b) any other local authority, by reason of the fact that he is a member or officer of such
Society.
CHAPTER VI
Executive duties and power of police officers
59. Duty or police officer to enforce provisions of the Act. ( l) it shall be the duty of every police
officer to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act or any rule, regulation or order made
thereunder and for the purpose such police officer may, -
(a) warn persons who from ignorance fail to comply with any provision of this act or any rule,
regulation or order made thereunder;
(b) require any person acting or about to act contrary to any provis ion to this Act or rule,
regulation or order made thereunder, to desist from so doing;
(c) subject to the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3), arrest any person contravening any
provision of this Act or any rule, regulation or order made thereunder, where such
contravention is an offence punishable under this Act;
(d) seize any object used, or about to be used, in contravening, or in contravention of, the
provisions of this Act or any rule, regulation or order made thereunder, where such
contravention is an offence punishable under this Act.
(2) A police officer shall not arrest any person under clause (c) of sub-section (1) without a warrant
issued by a Metropolitan Magistrate, unless such person-
(a) has contravened any regulation made under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Sec. 28 ;
(b) has contravened any order or notification made under Sec. 29, sub-section (1) or sub-section
(2) of Sec. 30, Sec. 32, Sec. 47, Sec 48 or sub-section ( 1) of Sec 57;
(c) commits in the presented of such police officer an offence punishable under Sec 97, subsection
(1) of Sec. 108, clause (a), (b) or (c) of Sec 110 or sub-section (2) of Sec. 113 in
respect of the contravention of any order wade under Sec. 33 or Sec. 34;
(d) has committed or is reasonably suspected to have committed, an offence punishable under
Sec. 100 in relation to any dwelling house, private premises or any other land or ground
attached thereto;
Provided that the person in possession or having charge of that dwelling house, private
premises or land or ground complains of the commission of such offence;
(e) has committed, or is reasonably suspected to have committed an offence punishable under
Sec. 101, Sec. 102 or clause (c) of sub-section (2) of Sec. 113;
(f) commits in his presence in any street or public place any non cognizable offence punishable
under this Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder if such person26
(i) after being warned by the police officer persist in committing such offence; or
(ii) refuses to accompany the police officer to a police station on being required so to do.
(3) The Commissioner of Police or any other police officer especially empowered in this behalf by
the Commissioner of Police may arrest without a warrant issued by a Metropolitan Magistrate
any person who has committed an offence punishable under Sec. 92.
60. Other duties of a police officer. It shall be the duty of every police officer-
(a) promptly to serve every summons and obey and execute every warrant or other order
lawfully issued to him by the competent autho rity and to comply with all lawful commands
of his superior;
(b) to the best of his ability, to obtain intelligence concerning the commission of cognizable
offences or designs to commit such offences and to lay such informatio n and to take such
other steps consistent with law and with the orders of his superiors as shall be best
calcu1ated to bring offenders to justice and to prevent the commission of cognizable and,
within his view, of non-cognizable offences;
(c) to prevent to the best of his ability the commission of public nuisances:
(d) to apprehend without unreasonable delay all persons whom he is legally authorised to
apprehend and for whose apprehension there is sufficient reason;
(e) to aid any other police officer when called upon by such ether police officer or in the case of
need in the discharge of the duty of such other police officer, in such ways as would be
lawful and reasonable on the part of the officer aided;
(f) to prevent the breach of the public peace;
(g) to afford every assistance within his power to disabled or helpless persons in the streets;
(h) to take charge of intoxicated persons and of lunatics at large, who appear dangerous or
incapable of taking care of themselves;
(i) to take prompt measures to procure necessary help for any person under arrest or in
custody, who is wounded or sick and whilst guarding or conducting any such person to
have due regard to his condition;
(j) to arrange for the proper sustenance and shelter of every person who is under arrest or in
custody;
(k) in conducting searches, to refrain from needless rudeness and the causing of unnecessary
annoyance;
(l) in dealing with women and children to act with strict regard to decency and with reasonable
gentleness;
(m) to use his best endeavours to prevent any loss or damages by fire;
(n) to use his best endeavours to avert any accident or danger to the public;
27
(o) to regulate and control the traffic in the streets, to prevent obstructions therein and to the
best of his ability, to prevent the contravention of any rule, regulation or order made under
this Act or any Other law in force for observance by the public in or near the streets;
(p) to keep order in the streets and at and within public bathing and washing places, fairs,
temples and all other places of public resort and in the neighbourhood of places of public
worship;
(q) to regulate resort to public bathing and washing places and all other places of public resort,
to prevent overcrowding there and to the best of his ability, to prevent the contravention of
any regula tion or order lawfully made for once by the public at such place; and
(r) to discharge such other duties as are imposed upon him by any Law for the time being in
force.
61. Power to enter places or public resort. Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules,
regulations and orders made thereunder, every police officer may, for the purpose of discharging
any of the duties referred to in Sec. 59 or Sec. 60 enter without a warrant and inspect any place of
public resort which he has reason to believe is used as a place for the storing, sale or consumption
of intoxicating drinks or narcotics or a place for resort of loose and disorderly characters.
62. Power to search suspected persons in street, etc. When in a street or a place of public resort a
person is in possession or suspected to be in possession of any article which a police officer in
good faith suspects to be stolen property, such police officer may search such person and may
require an account in relation to any article found in his possession and should the account given
by the possessor be manifestly false or suspicious, may detain such article after giving to the
possessor a receipt in the prescribed form and report the facts to a Metropolitan Magistrate who
shall thereupon proceed according to the provisions of Secs. 457, 458 and 459 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).
63. Emergency duties of police. (1) The Administrator may, by notification in the official Gazette,
declare any specified service to be an essential service to the community.
(2) A declaration made under sub-section (1) shall remain in force for one month in the first
instance, but may be extended from time to time by a like notification.
(3) Upon a declaration being made under sub-section (1) and so long as it remains in force, it shall
be the duty of every police officer to obey any order given by any superior officer in relation to
any employment in connection with the service specified in the declaration.
64. Superior police officer may himself perform duties imposed on a subordinate officer. A
police officer of a rank superior to that of a constable may perform any duty assigned by law or by
a lawful order to any officer subordinate to him, and in the case of any duty imposed on such
subordinate, a superior may aid, supplement, supersede, or prevent any action of such subordinate
by his own action or that of any person lawfully acting under his command or authority, whenever
the same shall appear necessary or expedient for giving more complete or convenient effect to the
law or for avoiding any imprisonment thereof.
65. Persons bound to comply with the reasonable directions of police officer. (1) All persons shall
28
be bound to comply with the reasonable directions given by a police officer in the discharge of his
duties under this Act.
(2) Where any person resists, refuses or fails to comply with any direction referred to in subsection
(1), a police officer may, without prejudice to any other action that he may take under
any other provision of this Act or any other law for the time being in force, remove such person
and either produce him before a Metropolitan Magistrate or, in trivial cases, release him when
the occasion which necessitated the removal has ceased to exist:
Provided that the person so removed shall in all cases be produced before the Metropolitan
Magistrate or released, as the case may be, within a period of twenty- four hours of such removal.
CHAPTER VII
Powers in relation to unclaimed property
66. Police to take charge of unclaimed property. (1) It shall be the duty of every police officer to
take temporary charge-
(a) of all unclaimed property found by, or made over to, him; and
(b) of all property found lying in any public street, if the owner or person in charge of such
property, on being directed to remove the same, refuses or fails to do so.
(2) The police officer taking charge of the property under sub-section (1) II furnish an inventory
thereof to Commissioner of Police.
67. Procedure for disposal of property taken charge of under Sec. 66. Where any property has been
taken charge of under sub-section (1) of Sec. the Commissioner of Police shall issue a
proclamation specifying the articles which such property consists and requiring that any person
who may have claim thereto shall appear before him or some other officer whom he authorises in
this behalf and establish his claim within six months from the date of such proclamation.
(2) If the property, or any part thereof, is subject to speedy and natural decay or consists of
livestock or if the property appears to be of the value of less than fifty rupees, it may forthwith
be sold by auction under the orders of the Commissioner of Police and the net proceeds of such
sale shall be dealt in the same manner as is hereinafter provided for the disposal of the said
property.
(3) Where any person who has a claim to the property is required by the proclamation under subsection
(1) to appear before the other officer authorise by the Commissioner of Police in that
behalf and establish his claim, such officer shall forward the record of the proceedings before
him with his endings thereon to the Commissioner of Police.
68. Delivery of property to person entitled. (1) The Commissioner of police on being satisfied of
the title of any claimant to the possession or administration of the property specified in the
proclamation issued under sub -section (1) of Sec. 67 order the same to be delivered to him, after
deduction or payment of the expenses incurred by the Delhi police in the seizure and detention
thereof.
(2) The Commissioner of Police may, at his discretion, before making any order under sub-section
(1), take such security as he may think proper from he person to whom the said property is to
29
be delivered and nothing hereinbefore contained shall affect the right of any person to recover
the whole or any part of the same from the person to whom it may have been delivered
pursuant to such order.
69. In default of claim, property to be at disposal of Government. (1) If no person establishes his
claim to such property with the period specified in the proclamation, the property, or such part
thereof as has not already been; old under sub-section (2) of Sec. 67, may be sold by auction under
the orders of the Commissioner of Police and the proceeds thereof shall be credited to the
Government.
(2) If any claim is made to any proceeds credited under sub-section (l) to the Government and if
such claim is established, whether wholly or to any extent, to the satisfaction of the prescribed
authority, the Administrator shall pay to the claimant the amount determined in that behalf by
the prescribed authority:
(3) The form and manner in which claims may be made under sub-section (2) and the procedure for
dealing with such claims and all other matters connected therewith shall be such as may be
prescribed.
CHAPTER VIII
Special provisions relating to exercise of powers under the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973
70. Power of Central Government to authorise Commissioner of Police and certain other officers
to exercise powers of District Magistrates and Executive Magistrates under the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973. (1) The Central Government may, by notification in the official
Gazette and subject to such conditions and limitations as may be specified therein, empower-
(a) the Commissioner of Police to exercise and perform in relation to Delhi the powers and
duties of an Executive Magistrate and of a District Magistrate under such of the provisions
of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 (2 of 1974), as may be specified in the notification;
(b) any officer subordinate to the Commissioner of Police (not being an officer below the rank
of an Assistant Commissioner of Police) to exercise and perform in relation to such areas in
Delhi as may be specified in the notification the powers and duties of an executive
Magistrate under such of the provisions of the said Code as may be specified in the
notification.
(2) Every officer subordinate to the Commissioner of Police shall, in the exercise and performance
of any powers and duties which he is empowered to exercise or perform under sub-section (1),
be subject to the general control of the Commissioner of Police in the same manner and to the
same extent as an Executive Magistrate appointed under Sec. 20 of the said Code would be
subject to the general control of the District Magistrate appointed under that section.
(3) The Commissioner of Police or any officer subordinate to him shall not be subject. in the
exercise and performance of any powers and duties which he is empowered to exercise and
perform under sub-section (1), to the general control of District Magistrate appointed under
Sec.20 of the said Code.
30
(4) The provisions of this section shall have effect notwithstanding any thing contained in the said
Code.
71. Notifications under Sec. 70 to be laid before Parliament. Every notification made by the
Central Government under Sec. 70 shall be laid, as Soon as it is made, before each House of
Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one
session or in two or more successive sessions and if, before the expiry of the session immediately
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any
modification in the notification or both Houses agree that the notification should not be made, the
notification shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case
may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the
validity of anything previously done under that notification.
72. 1[* * * * *]
CHAPTER IX
Special Powers under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
73. Powers with regard to offences under Act 59 or 1960. (1) When in respect of an animal an
offence punishable under sub-section (1) of Sec. 11 or Sec. 12 of the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Act, 1960 has been committed, when there is a reasonable ground for suspecting that such
offence has been committed, a police officer may-
(a) take the animal to the Metropolitan Magistrate, or
(b) if the accused person so requires, take the animal to a veterinary officer specified by general
or special order by the Administrator in this behalf:
Provided that the police officer may, instead of taking the animal to a veterinary officer, take
the animal for detention in a dispensary, or in any suitable place approved by the Admnistrator by
general or special order and the animal shall thereupon be detained there until its production before a
Metropolitan Magistrate, or
(c) take the animal to an infirmary appointed under Sec. 35 of the said Act for treatment and
detention thereto, pending direction of a Magistrate under sub-section (2) of that section, or
(d) when the animal is in such physical condition that it cannot be taken to a veterinary officer
or a Metropolitan Magistrate, draw up a report of the condition of the animal in the
presence of two or more respectable persons describing such wound, sores, fractures,
bruises, or other marks of injury as may be found on the body of the animal:
Provided that the police officer may take the animal for detention in a dispensary or any
suitable place approved by the Administrator by general or special order and the animal shall
thereupon be detained there until its produc t before a Metropolitan Magistrate.
(2) Where an animal is detained in a dispensary, infirmary or other place under sub-section (1), the
animal shall be produced before a Metropolitan magistrate with the least possible delay and in
any case within a period not exceeding three days from the date on which it was so detained.
1 Omitted by Cr PC (Amendment) Act 63 of 1980, Sec. 9 (wef 23-9-1980).
31
32
74. Powers of Metropolitan Magistrate to return animal to person from whose possession it was
taken. When the animal is brought before a Metropolitan Magistrate under Sec. 73, the
Magistrate may direct the animal to be returned to the person from whose possession it was taken
on such person giving security to the satisfaction of the Metropolitan Magistrate binding himself to
produce the animal when required or may direct that the animal shall be sent or treatment and care
to an infirmary and be detained there as provided in Sec. 35 of the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960) or may make such order as be thinks fit regarding the disposal or
custody or production of the animal.
75. Veterinary officer to examine the animal. The veterinary officer before whom an animal is
brought under Sec. 73, shall with all convenient speed examine the same and draw up a report of
such examination and a copy of the report at such examination shall be delivered free of charge to
the accused person if he applies for it.
76. Animal to be dealt with under Act 59 of 1960. When under Sec. 73, a police officer takes an
animal for detention in a dispensary or infirmary or other place before its production before a
Metropolitan Magistrate or a Metropolitan Magistrate directs its further detention in an infirmary,
sub-section (3) to (7), (both inclusive) of Sec. 35 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to the detention of the animal (including the cost of
transport, maintenance and treatment of the animal) in the dispensary, infirmary or other place.
77. Power of police officer to unsaddle animal or to unload it. When a police officer in good faith
suspects that any animal being employed, in any work or labour is, by reason of any sore, unfit to
be so employed, he may require the person in charge of such animal to unsaddle or unload it for the
purpose of ascertaining whether any sore exists and. if any person refuses to do so, such police
officer may himself unsaddle or unload the animal or may cause the same to be unsaddled or
unloaded.
78. Arrest without warrant in case of certain offences under Act 59 of 1960. Any police officer
may arrest, without a warrant from a Magistrate, any person committing in his presence any
offence punishable under clauses (a) to (m) (both inclusive) of sub-section (1) of Sec. 11 of the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
79. Provisions of Chapter to be in addition to the provisions of Act 59 of 1960. The provisions of
this Chapter shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the provisions of the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
CHAPTER X
Offences and punishments
80. Disregarding the rules of the road. No person shall-
(a) when driving a vehicle along a street (except in cases of actual necessity or of some other
sufficient reason for deviation) fail to keep on the left side of such street and when passing
any other vehicle proceeding in the same direction fail to keep on the right side of such
vehicle; or
(b) leave in any street or public place insufficiently tended or secured any animal or vehicle.
81. Causing obstruction or mischief by animal. No person shall cause obstruction, damage, injury,
danger, alarm or mischief in any street or public place33
(i) by misbehaviour, negligence or ill usage in the driving, management, treatment or care of
any animal or vehicle; or .
(ii) by driving any vehicle or animal laden with timber, poles or other unwieldy articles through
a street or public place contrary to any regulation made in that behalf.
82. Exposing animal for hire, sale, etc. No person shall in any street or public place expose for hire
or sale any animal or vehicle, clean any furniture or vehicle, or clean or groom any horse or other
animal except at such times and places as the competent authority permits, or shall train or bleak in
any horse or other animal or make any vehicle or any part of a vehicle or (except when as a result
of any accident repairing on the spot is unavoidable) repair any vehicle, or part of a vehicle, or
carryon therein any manufacture or operation so as to be a serious impediment to traffic or serious
annoyance to residents in the vicinity or to the public.
83. Causing any obstruction in a street. No person shall cause obstruction in any street or public
place-
(a) by allowing any animal or vehicle, which has to be loaded or unloaded, or take up or set
down passengers, to remain or stand in the street or the public place longer than may be
necessary for such purpose; or
(b) by leaving any vehicle standing or fastening any cattle in the street or the public place; or
(c) by using any part of a street or public place as a halting place for vehicles or cattle; or
(d) by leaving any box, bale, package or other things whatsoever in or upon a street for an
unreasonable length of time or contrary to any regulation; or
(e) by exposing anything for sale or setting out anything for sale in or upon any stall, booth,
board, cask, basket or in any other way whatsoever.
84. Obstructing a footway. No person shall drive, ride, load, propel or leave on any footway any
animal or vehicle other than a perambulator or fasten any animal in such a way that the animal can
stand across or upon such footway.
85. Causing obstruction and annoyance by performances, etc. No person shall, in contravention
of any, regulation made by the Commissioner of Police,-
(a) exhibit any mimetic, musical or other performances of such a nature as may attract crowds;
or
(b) carry or place bulky advertisements, pictures, figures or emblems in any street or public
place,
whereby any obstruction to passengers or annoyance to the residents in the vicinity may be
occasioned.
86. Doing offensive acts in or near a street or public place. No person shall slaughter any animal,
clean a carcass or hide, or bathe or wash his person in or near to and within sight of a street or
public place, except at a place set apart for the purpose, so as to cause annoyance to the
neighbouring residents or to passers-by.
87. Letting loose horse. etc., and suffering ferocious dogs to be at large. No person shall in any
street or public place-
(a) negligently let loose any horse or other animal, so as to cause danger, injury, alarm or
annoyance; or
(b) suffer ferocious dog to be at large without a muzzle; or
(c) set on or urge a dog or other animal to attack, worry or put in ear any person or horse or
other animal.
34
88. Bathing or washing in places not set apart for those purposes. No person shall bathe or wash in
or by the side of, a public well, tank or reservoir not set apart for such purpose by order of the
competent authority, or in or by the side of any pond, pool, aqueduct, part of a river, stream, nullah
or other source or means of water supply in which such bathing or washing is forbidden by order of
the competent authority.
89. Defiling water in public wells. etc. No person shall defile or cause to be defiled the water in any
public well, tank, reservoir, pond, pool, aqueduct or part of a river, stream, nullah or other source
or means of water supply, so as to render the same less fit for any purpose for which it is set apart
by the order of the competent authority.
90. Obstructing bathers . No person shall obstruct or incommode a person bathing at a place set
apart for the purpose by the order of the competent authority under Sec. 88 by wilful intrusion or
by using such place for any purpose for which it is not so set apart.
91. Behaving indecently in public. No person shall wilfully and indecent ly expose his person in any
street or public place or place of public resort or within sight of, and in such manner as to be seen
from, any street or, public place or place of public resort, whether from within any house or
building or not, or use indecent language or behave indecently or riotously or in a disorderly
manner in a street or public place of public resort or in any office, police station or station house.
92. Obstructing or annoying passengers in the street. No person shall wilfully push, press, hustle
or obstruct any passenger in a street or public place or by violent move ments, menacing gestures,
wanton personal annoyance, screaming, shouting, wilfully frightening horses or cattle or otherwise,
disturb, the public peace or order.
93. Misbehaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. No person shall use in any street or
public place any threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a
breach of the peace or whereby a breach of the peace may be occasioned.
94. Prohibition against flying kites, etc. No person shall fly kite or any other thing so as to cause
danger, injury or alarm to persons, animals or property.
95. Committing nuisance in or near street, etc. No person shall in or near to any street, public place
of public resort-
(a) commit a nuisance by easing himself; or
(b) having the care or custody of any child under seven years of age, suffer such child to
commit a nuisance as aforesaid; or
(c) spit or throw any dust, ashes, refuse or rubbish so at to cause annoyance to any passer-by.
96. Disregard or notice in public building. No person shall, in any court, police station, police
office or building occupied by Government or building occupied by any local body, smoke, or spit
in contravention of a notice by the competent authority in charge of such place, displayed in such
court, police station, police officer or building.
97. Penalties for offences under Secs. 80 to 96. Any person who contravenes any of the provisions
of Secs. 80 to 96 (both inclusive) shall, on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to
one hundred rupees, or, in default of payment of such fine, with imprisonment for a term not
exceeding eight days.
35
98. Penalty for failure to keep in confinement of cattle, etc. (1) Whoever, shows any cattle which
are his property or in his charge to stray in any street or to trespass upon any public or private
property shall on conviction be punished-
(a) for the first offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with
fine which may extend to three hundred rupees, or with both ; and
(b) for the second or subsequent offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to
six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
(2) The Metropolitan Magistrate trying an offence under sub-section (1) may order-
(a) that the accused shall pay such compensation not exceeding two hundred and fifty rupees
as such Magistrate considers reasonable to any person for any damage proved to have been
caused to his property or the produce of his land by the cattle under the control of the
accused trespassing on his land; and
(b) that the cattle in respect of which the offence bas been committed shall be forfeited to the
Government.
(3) Any compensation awarded under sub-section (2) may be recovered as if it were a fine imposed
under this section.
(4) It shall be the duty of every police officer and it shall be lawful for any other person to seize
and take to any cattle pound for confinement therein any cattle found straying in any street or
trespassing upon any private or public property.
(5) Any fine imposed under this section may, without prejudice to any other means of recovery
provided by law, be recovered by sale of all or any of the cattle in respect of which the offence
was committed, whether they are the property of the person convicted of the offence or were
only in his charge when the offence was committed.
(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), the
offence punishable under this section shall be cognizable.
99. Punishment for cruelty to animals. Whoever in any place cruelly beats, goads overworks, illtreats
or tortures or causes or procure to be cruelly, beaten, goaded, overworked, ill-treated or
tortured, any animal shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment which may extend to
one month, or with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees, or with both.
100. Wilful trespass. Whoever without satisfactory excuse wilfully enters or remains in or upon any
dwelling-house or premises or land or ground attached thereto, or on any ground, building,
monument or structure to Government or used for public purposes, or on any vehicle shall, on
conviction, whether he causes any actual damage or not, be punished with imprisonment which
may extend to seven days or with fine which may extend to hundred rupees, or with both,
101. False alarm of fire or damage to fire alarm. Whoever knowingly gives or causes to be given
a false alarm of fire to the fire brigade of the Government or the Corporation or a municipality or
to any officer or fireman thereof, whether by means of a street fire alarm, statement, message or
otherwise, or with intent to give such false alarm wilfully breaks the glass of, or otherwise
damages, a street fire alarm shall, on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which
may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees, or with both.
36
102. Being found under suspicions circumstances between sunset and sun rise. Whoever is found
between sunset and sunrise-
(a) armed with any dangerous instrument with intent to commit an offence; or
(b) having his face covered, or otherwise disguised with intent to commit an offence; or
(c) in any dwelling- house or other building or on any vehicle without being able satisfactorily
to account for his presence there; or
(d) lying or loitering in any street, vard or other place, being a reputed thief and without being
able to give a satisfactory account of himself; or
(e) having in his possession without lawful excuse (the burden of proving which excuse shall
be on such person) any implement of house-breaking.
shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months.
103. Possession of property of which no satisfactory account can be given. Whoever has in his
possession or conveys in any manner, or offers for sale or pawn, anything which there is reason
to believe is stolen property or property fraudulently obtained, shall, if he fails to account for
such possessio n or act the satisfaction of the Metropolitan Magistrate, on conviction, be punished
with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend
to one hundred rupees, or with both.
104. Omission by pawn brokers, etc., to report to police possession or order of property
suspected to be stolen. Whoever being a pawn-broker, aler in second hand property, or worker
in metals, or reasonably believed the Commissioner of Police to be such a person, and having
received from police officer written or printed information in relation to any property suspected
to have been transferred by any offence mentioned in section 410 of Indian Penal Code (45 of
1860), or by any offence punishable under Sec. 7, Sec. 418, Sec. 419 or Sec. 420 of the said
Code, is found in possession, after the receipt of such information, comes into possession or has
an offer, her by way of sale, pawn, exchange or for custody, alteration or otherwise howsoever,
made to him, of property answering the description contained in which information, shall, unless-
(i) he forthwith gives information to the Commissioner of police, or at a police station of such
possession or offers and takes all reasonable means to ascertain and to give information as
aforesaid of the name and address of the person from whom the possession or offer was
received, or
(ii) the property, being an article of common wearing apparel or otherwise, is incapable of
identification from the written or printed information given and has been in no way
concealed after the receipt of such information,
on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees in suspect of each such
article of property so in his possession or offered to him.
105. Melting, etc. of property referred to in section 104. Whoever having received such
information as is referred to in Sec. 104 alters, melts, faces or puts away or causes or suffers to be
altered, melted, defaced or put lay, without the previous permission of the police, any such
property as is referred to in that section shall, on proof that the same was stolen property within
the meaning of section 410 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), or property in respect of which
any offence punishable under Sec. 417, Sec. 418, Sec. 419 or Sec. 420 of the said Code has been
committed, be punished the imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with
fine, with both.
37
106. Taking pledge from child. Whoever takes from any child, not appearing to be above the age of
fourteen years, any article whatsoever as at pawn, pledge or security for any sum of money lent,
advanced or delivered to which child or without the knowledge and consent of the owner of the
article always from such child any article whatsoever, shall, on conviction, be punished wit h fine
which may extend to one hundred rupees.
107. Suffering disorderly conduct at places of public amusement, etc. Whoever, being the keeper
of any place of public amusement or public entrainments, knowingly permits or suffers
drunkenness or other disorderly behaviour or any gambling whatsoever, in such place, shall, on
conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees.
108. Cheating at games and gambling in street. (1) Whoever by any fraud or unlawful device or
malpractice in playing at or with cards, dice or other game or in taking part in the stakes or
wagers, or in betting on the sides or hands of the players. or in wagering on the event of any
garnet sports, pastime or exercise, wins from any other person, for himself or any other or others,
any sum of money or valuable thing, shall be deemed to have commit ted the offence of cheating
within the meaning of Sec. 415 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), and be liable to
punishment accordingly.
(2) Whoever assembles with others, or joins any assembly, in a street assembled for the purpose of
gambling or wagering shall, on conviction be punished with fine which may extend to fifty
rupees or may be released after a due admonition.
109. Penalty for disobedience to order under Sec. 21. Whoever contravenes. disobeys, opposes,
or fails to conform to an order under Sec. 27 requiring him to vacate any premises, shall, on
conviction be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three months or with fine
which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both.
110. Penalty for contravening regulations, etc, under Sec. 28. Save as provided in Sec. 112,
whoever, contravenes, or abets the contravention of, any regulation made under Sec. 28 or
any of the conditions of a licence is sued under such regulation shall, on conviction, be
punished.
(a) if the regulation was made under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Sec. 28 providing for the
prohibition of the sale, or exposure for sale, of any goods on any street or portion thereof so
as to cause obstruction to traffic or inconvenience to the public-
(i) for the first offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or
with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both ; and
(ii) for any subsequent offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six,
months and with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees;
(b) if the regulation was made under Cls. (d), (h), (i) or (j), sub -clause (i) or (ii) of clause (s) or
clause (y) of sub-section (1) of Sec. 28. with imprisonment for a term which may extend to
eight days, or with fine which may extend to fifty rupees, or with both;
(c) if the regulation was made under clause (o) or (p) of sub-section (1) of Sec. 28, with fine
which may extend to two hundred rupees; and
(d) if the regulation was made under any clause of sub-section (1) of Sec. 28 and for the
contravention of which no penalty is provid ed under clauses (a), (b) or (c) of this section
38
with fine which may extend to fifty rupees.
111. Liability of licensee of place of public amusement or entertainment for acts of servants. The
holder of a licence granted under this Act in respect of a place of public amusement or public
entertainment shall be responsible, as well as the actual offender fo r any offence under Sec. 110
committed by his servant or other agent acting with his express or implied permission on his
behalf as if he himself bad committed the same, unless he establishes that all due and reasonable
precautions were taken by him to prevent the commission of such offence.
112. Penalty for not obtaining licence in respect of place of public entert ainment or certificate of
registration in respect of eating house or for not renewing such licence or certificate within
prescribed period. (1) Whoever fails to obtain a licence under this Act in respect of a place of
public entertainment or a certificate of registration thereunder in respect of any eating house, or
to renew the licence of the certificate, as the case may be, within the prescribed period shall, on
conviction, be punished with fiat which may extend to fifty rupees.
(2) Any court trying any such offence shall in addition direct that the person keeping the place of
public entertainment, or the eating house in respect of which the offence bas been committed
shall close such place, or eating house until be obtains a licence or fresh licence, or a certificate
of registration or fresh certificate of registration, as the case may be, in respect thereof and
hereupon such person shall forthwith comply with such direction.
(3) If the person fails to comply with any such direction, he shall, on conviction, be punished with
imprisonment for a term which may extend to the month or with fine which may extend to two
hundred rupees or with both.
(4) Without prejudice to any action taken under sub-section (3), on the failure of such person to
comply with the direction of the court, any police officer authorised by the Commissioner of
Police, by an order in writing, may like or cause to be taken such steps and use or cause to be
used such force as may, in the opinion of such officer, be reasonably necessary for securing
competence with the court's direction,
113. Penalties for contravention or orders, etc., under Secs. 29, 30, 31, 32, and 34. (1) Whoever
contravenes, disobey, opposes or fails to conform any order given by a police officer under Sec.
29 shall, on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees.
(2) Whoever contravenes, a notification or an order made under Sec. 30, 31, 32, Sec. 33 or Sec. 34
or abets the contravention thereof shall, on conviction, be punished-
(a) if the said notification or order was made under sub-section (1) of Sec. 30 or under Sec. 33
or Sec. 34, with imprisonment for a term which shal1 not be less than four months but
which may extend to one year, and shall also be liable to fine:
Provided that the court may, for adequate and sufficient reasons to be mentioned in the
judgment, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than four months;
(b) if the said order was made under sub-section (2) of Sec. 30, with imprisonment for a term
which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to one honored rupees, or
with both;
39
(c) if the said notification was made under sub-section (3) of Sec. 30, with fine which may
extend to one hundred rupees; or .
(d) if the said order was made under Sec. 32, with imprisonment for a term which may extend
to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
(3) Whoever opposes or fails to conform to any direction given by a police officer under Sec. 31,
shall, on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees.
114. Penalty for contravention of regulations, etc., made under Secs. 35, 36 and 37. Whoever
contravenes, or abets the contravention of, any regulation, notice or order made under Sec. 35,
Sec. 36 or Sec. 37 shal1, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment which may extend to
three months, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.
115. Penalty for contravention of directions under Sec. 46, 47 or 48. Whoever opposes or fails to
conform to any direction issued under Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 or abets the opposition to or the
failure to conform to, any such direction shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment
which shall not be less than four months but which may extend to one year and shall also be
liable to fine:
Provided that the court may, for adequate and special reasons to be mentioned in the judgment,
impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than four months.
116. Penalty for entering without permission area from which a person is directed to remove
himself or overstaying. Without prejudice to the power to arrest and remove a person in the
circumstances, and in the manner provided in Sec. 53, any person who –
(a) in contravention of a direction issued to him under Sec. 46. Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 enters or
returns without permission to Delhi, or any part thereof, as the case may be, from which he
was directed to remove himself; or
(b) enters or returns to Delhi or any part thereof with permission granted under sub-section (1)
of Sec. 54, but fails, contrary to the provisions thereof, to remove himself outside such area
at the expiry of the temporary period for which be was permitted to enter or return or on the
earlier revocation of such permission, or having removed himself at the expiry of such
temporary petted or on revocation of the permission, eaters or returns thereafter, without
fresh permission,
shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which shah not be less than six
months but which may extend to two years and shall also be liable to fine:
Provided that the court may for adequate mentioned in the judgment, impose a Sentence of
imprisonment for a term of less than six months.
117. Penalty for contravention or orders under Sec. 57. Whoever contravenes any order made
under Sec. 57 shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend
to three years, or with fine, or with both.
118. Penalty for opposing or not complying with direction given under clause (b) of sub section
(1) of Sec. 59. Whoever opposes or fails forthwith to comply with any reasonable requisition
made by a police officer under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Sec. 59, or abets the opposition
40
thereto or failure to comply therewith, shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a
term which shall not be less than four months but which may extend to one year and shall also be
liable to fine:
Provided that the court may, for adequate and special reasons to be mentioned in the judgment,
impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than four months.
119. Penalty for contravening directions under Sec. 65. Whoever opposes or fails to conform to
any direction given by any police officer under Sec. 65 or abets the opposition or failure to
conform to such direction shall, on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to fifty
rupees.
120. Dangerous performances. (1) No person shall without the previous permission of the
Commissioner of Police and except in accordance with any conditions subject to which such
permission is granted, hold or give in any ,lace which is likely to cause an assembly of persons,
any performance in which or during which he buries himself under ground or seals himself in any
room or receptacle or other thing, in such manner as to prevent all access of air to him and for
such time as would ordinarily result in death by suffocation.
(2) If any person contravenes or attempts to contravene the provisions of sub-section (1), be shall,
on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for return which may extend to on: year or with
fine, or with both.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure. 1973 (2 of 1974), the
offence punishable under this section shall be cognizable.
121. Neglect or refusal to serve as special police officer. (1) Any person who having been
appointed to be a special police officer under Sec. 17 shall without sufficient cause neglect or
refuse to serve as such or to obey any lawful order or direction that may be given to him for the
performance of his duties is such special police officer, shall, on conviction, be punished with
fine which may extend to fifty rupees.
(2) Such punishment shall automatically cancel the certificate of appointment of such a special
police officer.
122. Penalty for making false statement, etc, and for misconduct of police officers. (a) Any
person who makes a false statement or uses a false document for the purpose of obtaining
employment or release from employment as a police officer, or
(b) any police officer who -
(i) is guilty of cowardice, or
(ii) being a police officer of subordinate rank, resigns his office, or withdraws himself from
duties thereof in contravention of section 25, or
(iii) is guilty of any wilful breach or neglect of any provision of law or of any rule or
regulation or any order which he is bound to observe or obey, or
(iv) is guilty of any violation of duty for which no punishment is expressly provided by any
other law in force,
shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or
41
with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees, or with both.
Explanation. A police officer who being absent on leave fails without reasonable cause to report
himself for duty on the expiration of such leave shall, for the purpose of sub-clause (ii) of clause (b),
be deemed to withdraw himself from the duties, of his office within the meaning of section 25.
123. Penalty for failure to deliver up certificate of appointment or, other article. Any police
officer, who wilfully neglects or refuses to deliver up his certificate of appointment or to office or
any other article, in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 26 shall, on
conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with
fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.
124. Vexatious entry, search, arrest, etc., by police officer. Any police officer who -
(a) without lawful authority or reasonable cause enters or searches, or causes to be entered or
searched any building, vessel, tent or pla ce; or
(b) vexatiously and unnecessarily seizes the property of any person; or
(c) vexatiously and unnecessarily detains, searches or arrests any person; or
(d) offers any unnecessary personal violence to any person in his custody; or
(e) holds out any threat or promise not warranted by law,
shall, for every such offence, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may
extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
125. Penalty for vexatious de lay in forwarding a person arrested. Any police officer who
vexatiously and unnecessarily delays the forwarding of any person arrested to a Magistrate or to
any other authority to whom he is legally bound to forward such person, shall, on conviction, be
punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may
extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
126. Penalty for unauthorised use of police uniforms . If any person being a member of the Delhi
police wears, without the permission of an authorised by the Administrator in this behalf by
general or special, the uniform of the Delhi police or any dress having the appearance or any of
the distinctive marks of that uniform, he shall, on conviction, be punished with fine which may
extend to two hundred rupees.
127. Power to make regulations regarding carrying weapons without authority. (1) The
Commissioner of Police may, by notification in the official , make regulations to provide that no
person, other than a member of the armed forces of the Union acting as such or a police officer,
shall go with any sword, spear, bludgeon gun or other offensive weapon or with explosive or
corrosive substance in any street or public place unless so authorised by such authority as may be
specified in such regulations.
(2) Any regulation made under sub-section (1) may provide that any person who goes armed in
contravention of such regulation shall be liable to sarmed by any police officer and the weapon
or substance so seized shall forfeited to the Government, unless redeemed within two months
by payment such fine, not exceeding five hundred rupees, as the Commissioner of Polices.
128. Prosecution for certain offences against this Act to be in the discretion or Delhi police. It
shall not, except in obedience to a rule, regulation or made by the Administrator or by the
Commissioner of Police, be encumbrance on the Delhi police to prosecute for an offence
punishable under Sec. 97, 104, sub-section (1) of Sec. 113, Sec. 114, Sec. 119 or Sec. 121 when
42
such has not occasioned serious mischief and has been promptly desisted on a warning being
given.
129. Summary disposal of certain cases. (1) A court taking cognizance of an offence punishable
under Sec. 97, or under Cl. (a), (b) or (c) of Sec. 110 state upon the summons to be served on the
accused person that he may, specified date, prior to the heating of the charge plead guilty to the
charge by registered letter and remit to the court such sum not exceeding one hundred rupees in
the case of an offence punishable under Sec. 97 and in any other case rupees fifty, as the court
may specify.
(2) Where an accused person pleads guilty and remits the sum specified be summons, under subsection
(1), no further proceedings in respect of the shall be taken against him.
130. Prosecution for offences under other enactments not affected. Reject to the provisions
contained in Sec. 300 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), nothing in this Act
shall be construed to prevent any person from being prosecuted and punished under any other law
for anything made punishable by this Act or from being prosecuted and punished under Act for
anything made punishable under any other law.
131. Offence by companies. (1) Where an offence under this Act has committed by a company,
every person who at the time the offence was committed, was in charge of, and was responsible
to, the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company, shall be
deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished
accordingly:
Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any
punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence as committed witho ut his knowledge or
that be exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where an offence under this Act has
been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the
consent or connivance of, or that the commission of the offence is attributable to, any neglect
on the part of any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company, such director
manager, secretary or other officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall
be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
Explanation. For the purposes of this section, -
(a) “company” means a body corporate, and includes a firm or other association of individuals;
and
(b) “director”, in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.
CHAPTER XI
Miscellaneous
132. Disposal of fees, rewards, etc. All fees paid for licences or permissions granted under this Act,
and all sums paid for the service of processes by police officers and all rewards, forfeitures and
penalties or shares thereof, which are by law payable to police officers as informers shall, save in
so far as any such fees or sums belong under the provisions of any enactment for the time being
in force to any local authority be credited to the Government:
43
Provided that with the sanction of the Administrator or under any rule made by the Administrator
in that behalf, the whole or any portion of any such reward, forfeiture or penalty may for special
services, be paid to a police officer or be divided amongst two or more police officers.
133. Method of proving orders and notifications . Any order or notification published or issued by
the Administrator or by the Commissioner of Police or any other police officer under any
provision of this Act, and the due publication or issue thereof may be proved by the production of
a copy thereof in the official Gazette, or of a copy thereof signed by the Administrator or
Commissioner of Police or other police officer, as the case may be, and by him certified to be a
true copy of an original published or issued according to the provisions of this Act applicable
thereto.
134. Rules, regulations or orders not invalidated by defect of form or irregularity in procedure.
No rule, regulation, order, direction, adjudication, inquiry or notification made or published and
no act done under any provision of this Act or any rule or regulation made under this Act, or in
substantial conformity with the same, sha ll be deemed illegal, void, invalid or insufficient by
reason of any defect of form or any irregularity of procedure.
135. Presumption in prosecutions for contravention of order made under Sec. 46, 47 or 48.
Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the being in force, in a prosecution for an
offence for the contravention of an made under Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec. 48 on the production of
an authentic of the order, it shall, until the contrary is proved by the accused, be med-
(a) that the order was made by the authority competent under this Act to make it ;
(b) that the authority making the order was satisfied that the grounds on, or the purpose for,
which it was made existed, and that it was necessary to make the same; and
(c) that the order was otherwise valid and in conformity with the provisions of this Act.
136. Officers holding charges of or succeeding to, vacancies competent exercise powers.
Whenever in consequence of the office of the Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner
of Police or any other police officer vacant, any officer holds charge of the post of such
Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police or other police officer or succeeds,
temporarily or permanently, to that post, such officer shall be competent to exercise all the
powers and perform all the duties respectively conferred and sed by or under this Act on the
Commissioner of Police or on such Additional Commissioner of Police or other police officer, as
the case may be.
137. Forfeiture of bond entered into by person under sub-section (1) of 54. If any person
permitted to enter or return to the area from which he directed to remove himself under subsection
(1) of Sec. 54, fails to any condition imposed under that sub-section or by the bond
executed him thereunder, his bond shall be forfeited and any person bound thereby pay the
penalty thereof or show cause to the satisfaction of the court such penalty should not be paid.
138. No police officer to be liable to penalty or damage for act done in faith in pursuance of duty.
No police officer shall be liable to any penalty payment of any damages on account of an act
done in good faith in pursuance of or purported to be done in pursuance of any duty imposed or
any authority conferred on him by any provision of this Act or any other law for time being in
force, or any rule, regulation, order or direction made or an thereunder.
139. No public servant liable as aforesaid for giving effect in good faith any rule, regulation,
44
order or direction issued with apparent authority. No public servant or person duly
appointed or authorised shall be liable to any penalty or to payment of any damages for giving
effect in good faith to-
(a) any order or direction issued with apparent authority by the Administrator or by a person
empowered in that behalf under this Act; or
(b) any rule or regulation made under this Act.
Explanation. In. this section, the expression “public servant” has the assigned to it in Sec. 21 of the
Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).
140. Bar to suits and prosecutions . (1) In any case of alleged offence by a police officer or other
person or of a wrong alleged to have been done by such police officer or other person, by any act
done under colour of duty or authority or in excess of any such duty or authority, or wherein it
shall appear to the court that the offence or wrong if committed or done was of the character
aforesaid, the prosecution or suit shall not be entertained and if entertained sl1all be dismissed if
it is instituted, more than three months after the date of the act complained of:
Provided that any such prosecution against a police officer or other person may be entertained by
the court, if instituted with the previous sanction of the Administrator, within one year from the date
of the offence.
(2) In the case of an intended suit on account of such a wrong as aforesaid, the person intending to
sue shall give to the alleged wrongdoer not less than one month's notice of the intended suit
with sufficient description of the wrong complained of, and if no such notice has been given
before the institution of the suit, it shall be dismissed.
(3) The plaint shall set forth that a notice as aforesaid has been served on the defendant and the
date of such service and shall state what tender of amends, if any, has been made by the
defendant and a copy of the said notice shall be annexed to the plaint endorsed or accompanied
with a declaration by the plaintiff of the time and manner of service thereof.
141. Licences and written permissions to specify condition, etc., and to be signed. (1) Any
licence or written permission granted under the provisions of this Act shall specify the period and
locality for which, and the conditions and restrictions subject to which, the same is granted, and
shall be given under the signature of the competent authority.
(2) Any licence or written permission granted under this Act may at any time be suspended or
revoked by the competent authority if any of its conditions or restrictions are infringed or
evaded by the person to whom it has been granted, or if such person is convicted of any offence
with respect to any matter to which such licence or permission relates.
(3) When any such licence or written permission is suspended or revoked or when the period for
which the same was granted has expired, the persons to whom the same was granted shall for
all purposes of this Act, be deemed to be without a licence or written permission, until the order
for suspending or revoking the same is cancel1ed, or until the same is renewed, as the case may
be.
(4) Every person to whom any such licence or written permission has been granted shall, while the
same remains in force, all reasonable times produce the same, if so required by a police officer.
45
Explanation. For the purposes of this section any such infringe evasion by, or conviction of, a
servant or other agent acting on behalf of the person to whom the licence or written permission has
been granted shall be deemed to be infringement or evasion or, as the case may be, conviction of, the
person to whom such licence or written permission has been granted.
142. Public notices how to be given. Any notification which may be publicly promulgated, public
notice required to be given, order required to be notified publicly or proclamation required to be
issued under any of the provisions or this Act shall be in writing, under the signature of a
competent authority and shall be published in the locality to be affected thereby, by copies
thereof in conspicuous public places, or by proclaiming the with beat of drums, or by advertising
the same in such local newspapers Hindi, Urdu and English, a, the competent authority may
deem fit, or by two or more of these means and by any other means it may think table.
143. Consent, etc., of a competent authority may be proved by writing under its signature.
Whenever under this Act, the doing or the omitting to anything or the validity of anything
depends upon the consent, approval, declaration, opinion or satisfaction of the competent
authority, a written document signed by the competent authority, purporting to conveyor set forth
such consent approval, declaration, opinion or satisfaction shall be sufficient thereof.
144. Signature on notices, etc., may be stamped. Every licence, written permission, notice or other
document, not being a summons or warrant or arch warrant, required by this Act or by any rule or
regulation made thereunder, to bear the signature of the Commissioner of Police, shall be deemed
be properly signed if it bears a facsimile of his signature stamped thereon.
145. Persons interested may seek to annul, reverse or alter any rule order. (1) In the case of any
rule or order made by the Administrator order an authority conferred by this Act and requiring
the public or a particular class of persons to perform some duty or act, or to conduct or order
themselves or those under their control in a manner therein described, it shall competent for any
person interested to apply to the Administrator by a memorial to annul, reverse, or alter the rule
or order aforesaid on the ground its being unlawful, oppressive or unreasonable.
(2) After such an application as aforesaid and the rejection thereof wholly or in part or after the
lapse of four months without an answer to such application or a decision thereon published by
the Administrator, it shall be competent for the person interested and deeming the rule or order
to be contrary to law to institute a suit in the principal civil court of original risdiction against
the Administrator for a declaration that the rule or order unlawful either wholly or in part.
(3) Where in any suit instituted under sub-section (2) or on appeal thereon, the court adjudges a
rule or order to be unlawful, the rule or order shall be annulled or so altered as to make it
conformable to law.
146. Powers of Commissioner of Police under other Acts. (1) The commissioner of Police shall
exercise all powers and discharge all functions which may be exercised or discharged by a
District Magistrate under the Acts mentioned in Sch. 1 including the rules made thereunder.
(2) The Commissioner of Police may authorise any Additional Commissioner of Police, Deputy
Commissioner of Police or Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police to exercise any of the
powers or discharge any of the functions of the Commissioner of Police mentioned in subsection
(1) in accordance with the general or special orders of the Administrator.
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(3) The powers and functions of a District Magistrate under the Sarais Act. 1867 (22 of 1867), shall
be exercised and discharged by the Administrator or such officer as the Administrator may, by
notification in the official Gazette, authorise in this behalf.
147. Power to make rules. (1) The Administrator may make rules for carrying out the purposes of
this Act.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may
provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:
(a) recruitment to, and the pay, allowances all other conditions of service of the members of,
the Delhi police under Cl. (b) of Sec. 5;
(b) the manner of publication, under sub-section (2) of Sec. 17, by the Commissioner of Police,
of the names of special police officers appointed under that section;
(c) awarding of any of the punishments referred to in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of Sec.
21 to any police officer of subordinate rank;
(d) procedure for awarding punishments under Sec. 22 .
(e) form of Discharge Certificate under sub-section (8) of Sec. 25 ;
(f) determination of the cost of employing additional police under sub-section (2) of Sec. 38;
(g) manner of taking measurements and photographs under Sec. 55 of a person against whom
an order has been made under Sec. 46, Sec. 47 or Sec., 48 ;
(h) manner of constituting Defence Societies under sub-section (1) of Sec. 58;
(i) form of receipt to be given in respect of any article detained under Sec. 62 ;
(j) the authority to whose satisfaction claims are to be established under sub-section (2) of Sec.
69 and the form and manner in which claims may be made under that sub-section, the
procedure for dealing with such claims and all other matters connected therewith under subsection
(3) of that section;
(k) payment to any police officer or division among two or more police officers the whole or
any portion of any reward, forfeiture or penalty, under the proviso to Sec. 132 ;
(l) any other matter which has to be, or may be, prescribed, or provided for by rules, under this
Act.
148. Notification of rules and regulations in the official Gazette and laying of rules and
regulations . (l) Every rule and regulation made under this Act shall be made by notification in
the official Gazette.
(2) Every rule and regulation made under this Act shall be laid, as soon nay be after it is made,
before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which
47
may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the
expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid,
the Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or regulation, as the may be, or both
Houses agree that the rule or regulation should not be made, the rule or regulation shall
thereafter have effect only in such modified or be of no effect, as the case may be : so, however
that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of thing
previously done under that rule or regulation.
(3) Every rule and regulation made under this Act shall also be laid the Metropolitan Council of
Delhi.
149. Cesser of operation of certain enactments and savings. (1) On the commencement of this Act
the enactments specified Sch. II shall cease to force in Delhi.
Provided that-
(i) all rules and standing orders made (including the Punjab Police Rules, as in force in Delhi),
appointments made, powers conferred, orders made or passed, directions and certificates
issued, consent, permit, permission or licence given, summons or warrants issued or served,
persons arrested or detained or discharged on bail or bond, search warrants issued, bonds
forfeited and penalties incurred under any such enactment shall, in so far as they are
consistent with this Act be deemed to have been respectively made, conferred, passed,
given, issued, served, arrested, detained, discharged, , forfeited or incurred under this Act;
(ii) all references in any enactment to any of the provisions of the enactments so ceasing to be
in force shall, in relation to Delhi, be construed as references to the corresponding
provisions of this Act.
(2) The cesser of operation under sub-section (1) of an enactment in Sch. II shall not affect-
(a) the validity, invalidity, effect or consequence of anything done or suffered to be done
thereunder before commencement of this Act;
(b) any right, privilege, obligation or liability already acquired, accrued or incurred thereunder
before such commencement;
(c) any penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred or inflicted in respect of any act thereunder
before such commencement;
(d) any investigation, legal proceeding or remedy in respect of such right, privilege, obligation,
liability, penalty, forfeiture or punishment ; or
(e) any legal proceeding thereunder pending in any court or before any officer immediately
before such commencement or anything done such proceeding, and any appeal or revisional
proceedings arising out of such proceeding shall save as otherwise, expressly provided in
Sec. 1 0 be instituted continued or disposed of, as the case may be, as if this Act had not
been enacted.
150. Police force functioning in Delhi immediately before the commencement of this Act to be
deemed to be police force constituted under this Act. Without prejudice to the provisions
contain«l in Sec. 149,-
(a) the police force functioning in Delhi immediately before the commencement of this Act
48
(hereafter in this section referred to as the existing police force) shall, on such
commencement, be deemed to be police force constituted under this Act and every member
of the existing police force holding the office mentioned in column (1) of Schedule III,
immediately before such commencement, shall be deemed to be appointed, on such
commencement, to the office mentioned in the corresponding entry in column (2) of that
Schedule;
(b) all proceedings (including proceedings by way of investigations) pending before any police
officer of the existing police force, immediately before the commencement of this Act shall
on such commencement be deemed to be proceedings pending before him in his capacity as
the holder of the office to which he is deemed to be appointed under Cl. (a) and shall be
dealt with accordingly;
(c) where any power or function which may be exercised or discharged under any law by a
District Magistrate or Executive Magistrate immediately before the commencement of this
Act has been conferred on the Commissioner of Po1ice or any other police officer by or
under this Act, all proceedings in relation to or arising from the exercise of such power or
the discharge of such function pending immediately before such conferment before the
District Magistrate, or the Executive Magistrate, as the case may be, shall, on the
conferment of such power or function on the Commissioner of Police or other police officer
stand transferred to the Commissioner of Police or other Police officer, as the case may be,
and the officer to whom such proceedings stand so transferred shall either proceed de novo
or from the stage of such transfer.
151. Power to remove difficulties. (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this
Act in consequence of the transition to the said provision from the provisions of the enactments
mentioned in Sch. II, the Central Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make
such provisions as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty:
Provided that no such notification shall be issued after the expiry of two years from the
commencement of this Act.
(2) Every notification issued under this section shall, as soon as may be after it is issued, be laid
before each House of Parliament.
152. Repeal and saving. (1) The Delhi Police Ordinance, 1978(2 of 1978) is hereby repealed.
(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the Ordinance so
repealed shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this
Act.
SCHEDULE I
[See section 146 (1)]
PART I
Central Acts
1. The Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.
2. The Indian Explosives Act, 1884.
3. The Indian Lunacy Act, 1912.
49
4. The Poisons Act, 1919.
5. The Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act, 1922.
6. The Cinematograph Act, 1952.
7. The Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act, 1956.
8. The Arms Act, 1959.
9. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
PART II
Delhi Act and Ads extended to Delhi
1. The Madras Restriction of Habitual Offenders Act, 1948, as in force in Delhi.
2. The Punjab Security of State Act, 1953, as in force in Delhi.
3. The Madras Dramatic Performances Act, 1954, as in force in Delhi.
4. The Delhi Public Gambling Act, 1955.
5. The Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, as in force in Delhi.
SCHDULE II
(See section 149)
Short title
Year No. Short Title
1861
1872
1951
V
IV
XXII
The Police Act, 1861.
Section 40 of the Punjab Laws Act, 1872, as in force in Delhi.
The provisions of the Bombay Police Act, 1951, as in force in
Delhi.
SCHEDULE III
(See section 150)
Designation of officer in the Delhi Police
(1)
Posts to which the officers of the Delhi Police
shall be deemed to be appointed
(2)
1. Inspector-General of Police.
2. Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
3. Superintendent of Police.
4. Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
5. Additional Superintendent of Police.
6. Assistant Superintendent of Police.
7. Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Commissioner of Police.
Additional Commissioner of Police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Assistant Commissioner of Police.
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The Delhi Police Act, 1978