The Delhi Police Act, 1978

(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 come into force on the 1st day of July, 1978.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) "Administrator" means the Administrator of Delhi appointed under article 239 of theConstitution; (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 or discharge ofany duty under the provisions of this Act, means the Commissioner of Police appointed undersection 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 DelhiMunicipal 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 section 3 and includes (i) all persons appointed as special police officers under sub-section (1) of section 17 andadditional police officers appointed under section 18; and (ii) all other persons, by whatever name known, who exercise any police function in any partof Delhi; (h) "eating house" means any place to which the public are admitted and where any kind of foodor drink is supplied for consumption on the premises by any person owning, or having any 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 ornear such shop, but does not include a place of public entertainment; (i) "municipality" means the New Delhi Municipal Committee, the Cantonment Board or anyother municipal body, other than the Corporation, established by or under any law for the time beingin force in or in 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 anyother amusement, diversion, or recreation or the means of carrying on the same is provided, to whichthe public are admitted either on payment of money or with the intention that money may be collectedfrom those admitted and includes a race course, circus, theatre, music hall, 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 orresidential hostel and includes any eating house or other place in which any kind of liquor orintoxicating drug is supplied (such as a tavern or a shop where beer, spirit, arrack, toddy, ganja, bhangor 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 purposesof 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, viaduct or arch or any road, lane,footway, square, court, alley or passage accessible to the public, whether or not it is a thoroughfare; (s) "subordinate ranks" means members of the police force of and below the rank of theInspector; (t) "vehicle" means any carriage, cart, van, dray, truck, handcart or other conveyance of anydescription and includes a bicycle, tricycle, a rickshaw, a motor vehicle, a vessel or an aeroplane.

There shall be one police force for the whole of Delhiand all officers and subordinate ranks of the police force shall be liable for posting to any branch of theforce including the Delhi Armed Police.

The superintendence of theDelhi 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 beexercisable subject to such superintendence.

Subject to the provisions of this Act, (a) the Delhi police shall consist of such number in the several ranks and have such organisationand 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 membersof, the Delhi police shall be such as may be prescribed: Provided that nothing in clause (b) shall apply to the recruitment to, and the pay, allowances andother conditions of service of the members of the Indian Police Service or the Delhi, Andaman andNicobar Islands Police Service.