Power of police officers to arrest persons

(1) If any police officer sees any person committing an offence against any of the provisions of this Act or of any rule or bye-law made thereunder, he shall, if the name and address of such person are unknown to him and if the said person on demand declines to give his name and address, or gives a name and address which such officer has reason to believe to be false, arrest such person.

1. (2) No person arrested under sub-section (1) shall be detained in custody ---
   • (a) after his true name and address are ascertained, or (b) without the order of a Magistrate for any longer time not exceeding twenty-four hours from the hour of arrest, than is necessary for brining him before a Magistrate.
     • • 495. Exercise of powers of police officer by municipal servants.- The Government may empower any municipal servant or any class of municipal servants to exercise the powers of the police officer for the purposes of this Act. Miscellaneous.
     • • 496. Application of term “public servant” to agents and sub-agents.- Every contractor or agent for the collection of any municipal tax, fee or other sum due to the municipal council and every person employed by any such contractor or agent for the collection of such tax, fee or sum shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (Central Act 5 of 1860).
     • • 497. Prohibition against obstruction of municipal authorities, servants, and contractors.- No person shall obstruct the council, or obstruct or molest the Chairman any councillor, the Commissioner, or any person employed by the municipal council or any person with whom a contract has been entered into on behalf of the council in the performance of their duty or of anything which they are empowered or required to do by virtue or in consequence of this Act or of any rule, bye-law regulation or order made thereunder.
     • • 498. Prohibition against removal of mark.- No person shall remove any mark set up for the purpose of indicating any level or direction incidental to the execution of any work authorised by this Act or by any rule, bye-law, regulation or order made thereunder.
     • • 499. Prohibition against removal or obliteration of notice.- No person shall, without authority in that behalf, remove, destroy, deface, or otherwise obliterate any notice exhibited by, or under the orders of, the municipal council, a standing committee or the Commissioner.
     • • 500. Prohibition against unauthorised dealings with public place or materials.- No person shall, without authority in that behalf, remove earth, sand or other materials or deposit any matter or make any encroachment from, in or on any land vested in the municipal council, or river, estuary, canal, backwater or water-course (not being private property) or in any way obstruct the same.
     • • 501. Delegation of powers by the Government.- (1) The Government may, by notification, authorise any person to exercise any one or more of the powers vested in it by this Act, except --
   • (a) the powers mentioned in Chapter II, Chapter III, Chapter V and Chapter VI;
   • (b) the power to determine the amount of contribution under section 246;
   • (c) the power to make rules under any of the provisions of this Act; and
   • (d) the power to sanction prosecution under section 491. and may in like manner withdraw such authority.
2. (2) The exercise of any powers delegated under sub-section (1) shall be subject to such restrictions and conditions as may be prescribed or as may be specified in the notification. The section came into force on the 26th day of January, 1974 vide Extraordinary Gazette No. 11 dated 17th January 1974.