Vidhi Codex

The Karnataka Police Act, 1963

The Karnataka Police Act, 1963

Criminal1963188 sections11 chapters

The Karnataka Police Act, 1963, provides the legal framework for organizing, administering, and regulating the police force across the State of Karnataka. It establishes a unified police hierarchy, including specialized branches such as the State Reserve Police and Village Police, while setting out the duties, executive powers, and service conditions of officers. The Act applies to police personnel and the general public throughout Karnataka. It empowers authorities to manage public order, regulate traffic, control public amusements, suppress illegal gaming, and address nuisances. This legislation matters because it maintains civil order and public safety while establishing oversight mechanisms to prevent official abuse.

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Chapter I PRELIMINARY →

  1. 1Short title, extent and commencement
  2. 2Definitions

Chapter II SUPERINTENDENCE, CONTROL AND ORGANISATION OF THE POLICE FORCE →

  1. 3One Police Force for the whole State
  2. 4Superintendence of Police Force to vest in the Government
  3. 5Constitution of Police Force
  4. 6Director General and Inspector General of Police
  5. 7Commissioner
  6. 8Appointment of Superintendent, Additional, Assistant and Deputy Superintendents
  7. 9Appointment of Superintendents for wireless system and motor transport system or for any special duty
  8. 10Principal, Police Training School or College
  9. 11Deputies and Assistants to the Commissioner
  10. 12Appointment of subordinate police
  11. 13Certificates of appointment
  12. 14Effect of suspension of Police Officer
  13. 15General powers of Commissioner and Superintendent
  14. 16Superintendent of Police to be the head of the Police in the district, subject to the general control of the District Magistrate
  15. 17Power of District Magistrate to require reports from Superintendent
  16. 18Power of supervision by District Magistrates
  17. 19Special Police Officers
  18. 20Appointment of additional Police
  19. 20AThe State Security Commission
  20. 20BPolice Establishment Board
  21. 20CState Police Complaints Authority
  22. 20DDistrict Police Complaints Authority
  23. 20EPowers of the State Police Complaints Authority and District Police Complaints Authority
  24. 20FTenure of officers incharge of police stations, circle, sub-division, district and range
  25. 20GUnits in a Police station

Chapter III REGULATION, CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE OF THE POLICE FORCE →

  1. 21Framing of rules for administration of the Police
  2. 22Inspector-General may call for returns
  3. 26Police Officers to be deemed to be on duty and to be liable to employment in any part of the State
  4. 27Under what conditions Police Officer may resign
  5. 28Police Officer not to engage in trade, etc.
  6. 29Certificates, arms, etc., to be delivered up by person ceasing to be a Police Officer
  7. 30Occupation of and liability to vacate premises provided for Police Officers

Chapter IV POLICE REGULATIONS →

  1. 31Power to make orders for regulation of traffic and for preservation of order in public place, etc.
  2. 32Authorisation of erection of barriers on streets
  3. 33Power to make rules prohibiting disposal of the dead except at places set apart
  4. 34Power of Commissioner or the Superintendent and of other officers to give direction to the public
  5. 35Power to prohibit certain acts for prevention of disorder
  6. 36Power to prohibit, etc., continuance of music, sound or noise
  7. 36APower to regulate undesirable activities
  8. 37Licensing use of loudspeakers, etc.
  9. 38Issue of orders for prevention of riot, etc.
  10. 39Issue of orders for maintenance of order at ceremonials, etc.
  11. 40Police to provide against disorder, etc., at places of amusement and public meetings
  12. 41Discontinuance of use of premises by disorderly persons
  13. 42Special measures to prevent outbreak of epidemic disease at fair, etc.
  14. 43Destruction of stray dogs
  15. 44Destruction of suffering or unfit animals
  16. 45Powers under this Chapter to be exercised by Superintendent subject to the control of District Magistrate and by Commissioner and District Magistrate subject to the control of the State Government

Chapter V SPECIAL MEASURES FOR MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC →

  1. 46Employment of additional Police on application of a person
  2. 47Employment of additional Police at large works and when apprehension regarding behaviour of employees exists
  3. 48Recovery of cost of additional Police employed under sections 46 and 47
  4. 49Employment of additional Police in cases of special danger to public peace
  5. 50Compensation for injury caused by unlawful assembly how recoverable
  6. 51District Magistrate to award or to apportion compensation among persons
  7. 52District Magistrate to discharge functions under orders of Government
  8. 53Proportionate recovery of the cost of additional Police and compensation for loss caused by unlawful assembly
  9. 54Dispersal of gangs and bodies of persons
  10. 55Removal of persons about to commit offences
  11. 56Removal of persons convicted of certain offences
  12. 57Period of operation of orders under sections 54, 55 or 56
  13. 58Hearing to be given before an order is passed under section 54, 55 or 56
  14. 59Appeal
  15. 60Finality of orders
  16. 61Procedure on failure of person to leave the area and his entry therein after removal
  17. 62Temporary permission to enter or return to the area from which a person was directed to remove himself
  18. 63Powers of Government or of officers specially empowered to extern
  19. 64Control of camps, parades, etc., and banning use of uniform, etc.

Chapter VI EXECUTIVE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE POLICE →

  1. 65Duties of a Police Officer
  2. 66Power to enter places of public resort
  3. 67Power to search suspected persons in a street
  4. 68Duties of Police Officers towards the public
  5. 69Police to regulate traffic, etc., in streets
  6. 70Persons bound to conform to reasonable directions of Police
  7. 71Powers of Police Officer to restrain, remove, etc
  8. 72Enforcement of orders issued under sections 35, 36 or 38
  9. 73Duty of Police to see orders issued under sections 42, 54, 55, 56 or 63 are carried out
  10. 74When Police Officer may arrest without warrant
  11. 75Police to take charge of unclaimed property
  12. 76Police Officer may take charge of stray cattle
  13. 77A superior Police Officer may himself perform duties imposed on his inferior, etc.

Chapter VII PREVENTION OF GAMING →

  1. 78Opening, etc., of certain forms of gaming
  2. 79Keeping common gaming-house, etc.
  3. 80Gaming in common gaming-house, etc.
  4. 81Entry, search, etc., by police officers in gaming-house
  5. 82Presumptive proof of keeping or gaming in common gaming-house
  6. 83On conviction under sections 78, 79 and 80 instruments of gaming may be destroyed
  7. 84Proof of playing for money not required for conviction
  8. 85Indemnification of persons concerned who are examined as witnesses
  9. 86Payment of portion of fine to informer
  10. 87Gaming in public streets
  11. 88Power to arrest without warrant persons gaming in public places
  12. 89Assembling in streets for gaming
  13. 90Printing, publishing or distributing any news or information
  14. 91Offences by companies

Chapter VIII OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS →

  1. 92Punishment of certain street offences and nuisance
  2. 93Punishment for cruelty to animals
  3. 94Punishment for wilful trespass
  4. 95False alarm of fire or damage to fire alarm
  5. 96Being found under suspicious circumstances between sunset and sunrise
  6. 97Carrying weapon without authority
  7. 98Possession of property of which no satisfactory account can be given
  8. 99Omission by pawnbrokers, etc., to report to the Police the possession or tender of property suspected to be stolen
  9. 100Melting, etc., of such property
  10. 101Taking pledge from a child
  11. 102Penalty for permitting disorderly conduct at places of public amusements, etc.
  12. 103Penalty for contravention of orders under section 31
  13. 104Liability of licensee of place of public entertainment for acts of servants
  14. 105Penalty for not obtaining a licence or for not renewing the licence within the specified period in respect of public entertainment
  15. 106Penalty for disobedience to order under section 30
  16. 107Penalty for contravening rules, etc., under sections 33 or 34
  17. 108Penalty for contravention of rules or directions under section 35, 38 or 39
  18. 109Penalty for contravening orders under sections 36 or 37
  19. 110Penalty for contravening direction under section 40 or order under section 41
  20. 111Penalty for contravention of a regulation made under section 42
  21. 112Penalty for contravening directions under section 70
  22. 113Penalty for contravention of directions under sections 54, 55, 56 or 63
  23. 114Penalty for entering area from which person has been directed to remove himself
  24. 115Penalty for failure to surrender in accordance with sub-section (3) of section 62
  25. 116Penalty for contravention of orders under section 64
  26. 117Neglect or refusal to serve as Special Police Officer
  27. 118Penalty for making false statement, etc., and for misconduct of Police Officer
  28. 119Penalty for failure to deliver up certificate of appointment or of office or other article
  29. 120Vexatious entry, search, arrest, etc., by a Police Officer
  30. 121Penalty for vexations delay in forwarding a person arrested
  31. 122Penalty for opposing or not complying with direction given under section 72
  32. 123Penalty for causing disaffection, etc.
  33. 124Jurisdiction when offender is a Police Officer above the rank of a constable
  34. 125Penalty for unauthorised use of police uniform
  35. 126Prosecution for certain offences against the Act to be in the discretion of the Police
  36. 127Summary disposal of certain cases
  37. 128Prosecution for offences under other enactments not affected

Chapter IX VILLAGE POLICE →

  1. 129Constitution of Village Police
  2. 130Administration, control and direction of village police in whom vested
  3. 131Power to delegate
  4. 132Village Police in village to be under charge of Police Patel
  5. 133Duties of Police Patel
  6. 134Authority over the village servants
  7. 135Precautions against robbery, etc.
  8. 136Information received regarding commission of cognizable offences
  9. 137Penalties for neglect of duty and punishment
  10. 138Liability to criminal prosecution not affected
  11. 139Information to Officer in charge of Police Station, when a criminal in the village has escaped or is not known
  12. 140Information regarding unnatural or sudden death or corpse found in the village
  13. 141Police Patel to arrest person whom he believes to have committed a cognizable offence, and forward him to the police station, etc
  14. 142Unclaimed Property
  15. 143Provision in case of absence, sudden illness, etc., of Police Patel

Chapter X STATE RESERVE POLICE FORCE →

  1. 144Definitions
  2. 145Constitution of the State Reserve Police Force
  3. 146Superintendence, control and administration of Force
  4. 147Enrolment
  5. 148Transfers
  6. 149Certificate of appointment
  7. 150General powers of Commandant
  8. 151General duties of members of the State Reserve Police Force
  9. 152Reserve Police Officer to be deemed to be in charge of Police Station
  10. 153Offence in respect of resignation contrary to provisions
  11. 154Offence in respect of refusal to deliver certificate of appointment, etc.
  12. 155More heinous offences
  13. 156Less heinous offences
  14. 157Reserve Police Officer in command to give information of offences committed under the Act by Reserve Police Officer under his charge.
  15. 158Place of imprisonment and liability to dismissal on imprisonment
  16. 159Minor punishments
  17. 160Protection for acts of members of Force
  18. 161Reserve police officer to be a police officer.

Chapter XI MISCELLANEOUS →

  1. 162Disposal of fees, rewards, etc.
  2. 163Power of Government to make rules.
  3. 164Method of proving orders and notifications
  4. 165Rules and orders not invalidated by defect in form or irregularity in procedure
  5. 166Presumptions in prosecutions for contravention of directions issued under sections 54, 55, 56 or 63
  6. 167Officers holding charge of, or succeeding to, vacancies competent to exercise powers
  7. 168Forfeiture of bond entered into by person permitted to enter or return to the area from which he was directed to remove himself
  8. 169Protection of Magistrate, Police Officer or public servant
  9. 170Suits or prosecutions in respect of acts done under colour of duty as aforesaid not to be entertained without sanction of Government
  10. 171Licences and permissions to specify conditions, etc., and to be signed
  11. 172Public notices how to be given
  12. 173Consent, etc., of a competent authority may be proved by writing under his signature
  13. 174Signature on notices, etc., may be stamped
  14. 175Saving in respect of rescission of certain provisions
  15. 176Saving of games of skill
  16. 177Persons interested may apply to Government to annul, reverse or alter any order
  17. 178Repeal and saving
  18. 179Power to remove difficulties

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