Vidhi Codex

The Bombay Police Act, 1951

The Bombay Police Act, 1951

Criminal1951169 sections8 chapters

The Bombay Police Act, 1951, establishes a consolidated legal framework for organizing, administering, and regulating the police force across Maharashtra. It applies to all police officers, local administrative authorities, and residents or visitors within the state. The law empowers police officials to maintain public order, direct traffic, regulate public assemblies and amusements, manage unclaimed property, prevent cruelty to animals, and temporarily remove dangerous or repeat offenders from specific areas. By defining police powers, duties, and disciplinary measures, this Act matters because it provides the foundational structure for law enforcement, crime prevention, and public safety while ensuring systematic civil regulation across urban and rural regions.

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Chapter I Chapter I →

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

Chapter II Chapter II →

  1. 3One Police Force for the whole of the State of Maharashtra
  2. 4Superintendence of Police Force to vest in the State Government
  3. 5Constitution of Police Force
  4. 6Inspector-General, Additional and Deputy Inspector General
  5. 7Commissioner
  6. 8Appointment of Superintendent and Additional, Assistant and Deputy Superintendents
  7. 9Appointment of Principals of Police Training Institutions
  8. 10Deputies to Commissioner
  9. 11Assistant Commissioner within jurisdiction of Commissioners
  10. 12Constitution of divisions and sections
  11. 13Inspector-General and Commissioner to exercise the power of First Class Magistrate and Presidency Magistrate
  12. 14Certificate of appointment
  13. 15Effect of suspension of Police officer
  14. 16General powers of Commissioner and Superintendent
  15. 17Control of District Magistrate over Police Force in district
  16. 18Power of District Magistrate to require reports from Superintendent
  17. 19Power of supervision by district Magistrates
  18. 20Power of Inspector-General and Commissioner to investigate and regulate matters of Police accounts
  19. 21Special Police officers
  20. 22Appointment of additional Police

Chapter III Chapter III →

  1. 23Framing of rules for administration of the Police.
  2. 24Inspector- General or Commissioner may call for returns.
  3. 25Punishment of the members of the subordinate ranks of the Police Force departmentally for neglect of duty etc.
  4. 26Procedure to be observed in awarding punishment.
  5. 27Appeals from orders of punishment.
  6. 28Police officers to be deemed to be always on duty and to be liable to employment in any part of the State
  7. 29Under what conditions Police officer may resign
  8. 30Certificates, arms, etc. to be delivered up b, person ceasing to be a police officer
  9. 31Occupation of and liability to vacate premises provided Police officers
  10. 32State Government may make order under Sec. 144 of Act V of 1898

Chapter IV Chapter IV →

  1. 33Power to make rules or regulation of traffic and for presentation of order in public place, etc.
  2. 34Competent authority may authorise erection of barriers on streets.
  3. 35Power to make rules prohibiting disposal of the dead except at places set apart.
  4. 36Power of Commissioner or the District Superintendent and of other officers to give direction to the public.
  5. 37Power to prohibit certain for prevention of disorder.
  6. 38Power to prohibit, etc. continuance of music, sound or noise.
  7. 39Issue of orders for prevention of riot, etc.
  8. 40Issue of orders for maintenance of order at religious ceremonials, etc.
  9. 41Police to provide against disorder, etc. at places of amusement and public meetings
  10. 43District Magistrate may take special measures to prevent outbreak of epidemic disease at fair, etc.
  11. 44Destruction of stray dogs
  12. 45Destruction of suffering or unfit animals
  13. 46Powers under this Chapter to be exercised by District Superintendent subject to the control of District Magistrate and Commissioner and by District Magistrates subject to the control of State Government

Chapter V Chapter V →

  1. 47Employment of additional Police on application of a person
  2. 48Employment of additional police at large works and when apprehension regarding behaviour of employees exists
  3. 49Recovery of cost of additional police employed under Secs. 47 and 48
  4. 50Employment of additional police in cases of special danger public peace
  5. 51Compensation for injury caused by unlawful assembly, how recover able-Date to be fixed for liability
  6. 52Chief Presidency Magistrate or District Magistrate to award or apportion compensation
  7. 53Chief Presidency Magistrate or District Magistrate to discharge, functions under order of State Government
  8. 54Proportionate recovery of the cost of additional police and compensation for loss caused by unlawful assembly
  9. 55Dispersal of gangs and body of persons.
  10. 56Removal of persons about to commit offence.
  11. 57Removal of persons convicted of certain offences.
  12. 58Period of operation of orders under Secs. 55, 56, 57 and 57-A.
  13. 59Hearing to be given before order under Secs. 55, 56, 57 and 57-A is passed
  14. 60Appeal
  15. 61Finality of order passed by State Government in certain case
  16. 63Temporary permission to enter or return to the area from which a person was directed to remove himself

Chapter VI Chapter VI →

  1. 64Duties of a Police officer.
  2. 65Power to enter places of public resort.
  3. 66Duties of Police officers towards the public.
  4. 67Police to regulate traffic, etc., in streets.
  5. 68Persons bound to conform to reasonable orders of Police.
  6. 69Power of Police officers to restrain or remove, etc.
  7. 70Enforcement of orders issued under Secs. 37, 38 or 39.
  8. 71Duty of Police to see orders issued under Secs. 43, 55, 56, 57, 57-A or 63-AA are carried out.
  9. 72When Police officer may arrest without warrant.
  10. 73When Police may arrest without a warrant.
  11. 74Powers with regard to offences under Act 49 of 1960 and corresponding laws.
  12. 75Powers of Magistrate to return animal to person from whose possession it was taken.
  13. 77Animal to be dealt with under Act 49 of 1960
  14. 78Powers of Police officer to unsaddle the animal or unload.
  15. 79Power of police to arrest without warrant when certain offence committed in his presence.
  16. 80Other powers of arrest.
  17. 81Refusal to obey warning or to accompany Police
  18. 82Police to take charge of unclaimed property
  19. 83Intestate property over four hundred rupees in value
  20. 84Intestate property over four hundred rupees in value
  21. 85Procedure in other cases
  22. 86Delivery of property to person entitled
  23. 87In default of claim, properly to be at disposal of State Government
  24. 88Procedure not affected by Indian Succession Act or Administrator-Generals Act or Regulation VIII of 1827 or corresponding laws
  25. 89Police officer may take charge of the stray cattle
  26. 90Power to establish Cattle-pounds and appoint pound-keepers
  27. 91Impounding of cattle.
  28. 92Delivery of cattle claimed.
  29. 93Sale of cattle not claimed.
  30. 94Rate to be fixed by notification.
  31. 95Powers as to inspection, search and seizure of false weights and measures.
  32. 96Procedure to be followed by officers and Magistrates in certain cases.
  33. 97A superior Police officer may himself perform duties imposed on inferior etc.
  34. 98Emergency of duties of Police.

Chapter VII Chapter VII →

  1. 99Disregarding the rule of the road.
  2. 100Causing obstruction or mischief by animal.
  3. 101Exposing animal for hire or sale, etc.
  4. 102Causing any obstruction in a street.
  5. 103Obstructing a footway.
  6. 104Exhibiting mimetic, musical or other performances, etc.
  7. 105Doing offensive acts on or near street or public place.
  8. 106Letting loose horse, etc. and suffering ferocious dogs to be large.
  9. 107Bathing or washing in places riot set apart for those purposes.
  10. 108Defiling water in public wells, etc.
  11. 109Obstructing bathers.
  12. 110Behaving indecently in public.
  13. 111Obstructing or any annoying passengers in the street.
  14. 112Misbehaviour with in rent to provoke a breach of the peace.
  15. 113Prohibition against flying kite.
  16. 114Begging and exposing offensive ailments.
  17. 115Committing nuisance in or near street. etc.
  18. 116Disregard of notice ill public building.
  19. 117Penalties for offenders under Secs. 99 to 116.
  20. 118Penalty for failure to keep in confinement cattle, etc.
  21. 119Punishment for cruelty to animals.
  22. 120Wilful trespass.
  23. 121False alarm of fire or damage to fire-alarm.
  24. 122Being found under suspicious circumstances between sunset and sunrise.
  25. 123Carrying weapon without authority
  26. 124Possession of property of which no satisfactory account can be given
  27. 125Taking spirits into public hospital or into barracks or on boards or vessels of war
  28. 126Omission by pawn-brokers, etc. to report, to Police possession or tender of property suspected to be stolen
  29. 127Melting, etc. of such property
  30. 128Taking pledge from child
  31. 129Permission of disorderly conduct at places of public amusement etc
  32. 130Cheating at games
  33. 131Penalty for contravening rules. etc., under Sec. 33
  34. 132Penalty for disobedience or order under Sec. 31
  35. 133Penalty for contravening rules etc., under Sec. 35
  36. 134Penalty for contravention of rule, etc. under Sec. 36
  37. 135Penalty for contravention of rule or directions under Sec. 37, 39 or 40
  38. 136Penalty for contravening rules etc., made under Sec. 38
  39. 137Penalty for contravening rules, etc. made under Sec. 41
  40. 139Penalty for contravention of a regulation made, under Sec. 43
  41. 140Penalty for contravening directions under Sec. 68
  42. 141Penalty for contravention of directions under Secs. 55, 56, 57, 57-A or 63-AA
  43. 142Penalty for entering without permission area from which a, person is directed to remove himself or overstaying when permitted to, return temporarily
  44. 143Penalty for failure in surrender in accordance with sub-section (3) of Sec. 63
  45. 144Neglect or refusal to serve as Special Police officer
  46. 145Penalty for making false statement, etc., and for misconduct of Police officers
  47. 146Penalty failure to deliver up certificate of appointment or of office or other article
  48. 147Vexatious entry, search, arrest, etc., by Police officer. Any Police officer who-
  49. 148Penalty for vexatious delay in forwarding a person arrested
  50. 149Penalty for opposing or not complying with direction given under Sec. 70
  51. 150Jurisdiction when offender is a Police officer above the rank of constable
  52. 151Prosecution for certain offences against the Act to be in the discretion of the Police
  53. 152Prosecution for offences under other enactments not affected

Chapter VIII Chapter VIII →

  1. 153Disposal of fees, rewards, etc.
  2. 154No municipal or other rates to he p1yable by State Government on Police buildings
  3. 155Method of proving orders and notifications
  4. 156Rules and orders not invalidated by defect of form or irregularity in procedure
  5. 157Presumption in prosecutions for contravention of directions issued under Sec. 55, 56, 57, 57-A or 63-AA
  6. 158Forfeiture of bond entered into by person permitted to enter or return to the area from which he was directed to remove himself
  7. 159No Magistrate or Police officer to be liable to penalty or damage for act done in good faith in pursuance of duty
  8. 160No public servant liable as aforesaid for giving effect in good faith to any rule, order or direction issued with apparent authority
  9. 161Suits or prosecutions in respect of acts done under colour of duty as aforesaid not to be entertained or to be dismissed if not instituted within prescribed period
  10. 162Licences and written permissions to specify conditions, etc., and to be signed
  11. 163Public notices how to be given
  12. 164Consent. etc., of a competent authority may be proved by writing under his signature
  13. 165Signature on notices, etc., may be stamped
  14. 166Persons interested may apply to State Government to annul, reverse or alter any rule or order
  15. 167Repeal and saving
  16. 168Saving of laws relating to Village Police and Reserve Police

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