Chapter VI Chapter VI

(1) Every committee shall, unless relieved of this obligation by the State Government, maintain a sufficient police establishment for police requirements within municipal limits and for the performance of the duties imposed on it by this Act. (2) The establishment maintained under sub-section (1) shall consist either of a body of part of watchmen or of the general police force under the State Government with the meaning of section 2 of Act V of 1861, or partly of one and partly of the other, as the State Government may determine; and shall consist of such number of officers and men who shall respectively receive such pay, leave, allowances, gratuities and pensions as the committee may from time to time after consultation with the District Magistrate and the inspector- General of Police, and subject to the final decision of the State Government, direct.

Relief of Committee from police charges. (1) The State Government may relieve any committee of the whole or part of the cost of the police establishment, and may enter into a contract with the committee, on such terms as may be agreed on, that in consideration of such relief, the committee shall pay periodically a sum not exceeding the amount thereof, or undertake any services within the municipality to which the municipal fund can properly be applied and which are estimated to cost not more than the amount of the relief. (2) When a committee has been relieved under this section of the whole or part of the cost of the police establishment which it is required to maintain, the State Government shall maintain such police establishment as it shall consider necessary, and the establishment so maintained may consist either of a body of the watchmen or of a part of the general police force under the State Government within the meaning of section 2 of Act V of 1861, or partly of one and partly of the other.

Appointment, liabilities and duties of municipal watchmen. (1) If the establishment maintained under this chapter consists wholly or in part of watchmen, they: (a) shall be under the orders of the Superintendent of Police, subject to the general control of the District Magistrate; (b) shall be appointed and promoted, and shall be liable to dismissal, suspension, reduction or fine, under such rules as the State Government may, make in this behalf; (c) shall perform such duties as the State Government may, subject to the provisions of this Act, direct ; and (d) shall possess the same powers, be entitled to the same assistance, enjoy the same protection, be subject to the same responsibilities, and be liable to the same penalties, as if they were police officers enrolled under Act V of 1861. (2) Any person obstructing any such watchmen in the discharge of his duties may be arrested without warrant by a police officer or by any such watchman.

If the establishment maintained under this chapter or any portion thereof consist of part of the general police force, the State government may notwithstanding anything contained in Act V of 1861, or in any other Act for the time being in force, define, subject to the provisions of this Act, the duties which the officers and men of the establishment or such portion thereof may or may not be required to perform.

Powers and duties of police in respect of offences against Act and rules and assistance to municipal authorities. (1) Every member of a police establishment under this Act shall give immediate information to the committee of any offence committed against this Act or the rules or bye-laws, and shall be bound to assist all members, officers and servants of the committee in the exercise of their lawful authority. (2) Every member of such police establishment may arrest any person committing in his view any offence against this Act or the rules or bye-laws-- (a) if the name and address of the person are unknown to him, and (b) if the person declines to give his name and address, or if there is reason to doubt the accuracy of the name and address if given. (3) A person arrested under this section may be detained until his name and address have been correctly ascertained : Provided that no person so arrested shall be detained longer than may be necessary for bringing him before a magistrate except under the order of magistrate for his detention.

Police protection at fairs, etc. When special police protection is, in the opinion of the State government, requisite on the occasion of any fair, agricultural show or industrial exhibition, managed by a committee, or for the purpose of guarding houses evacuated on account of plague, the State Government may provide such protection and the committee shall pay the whole charge thereof or such portion of such charge as the State Government may consider equitably payable by it.