The Railway Protection Force Act, 1957

(1) This Act may be called the Railway ProtectionForce Act, 1957. (2) It extends to the whole of India. (3) It shall come into force on such date 1as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint.

1[(1)] In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- (a) "Force" means the Railway Protection Force constituted under section 3; 2[(b) "Director-General" means the Director-General of the Force appointed under sub-section (1)of section 4; (ba) "enrolled member of the Force" means any subordinate officer, under officer or any othermember of the Force of a rank lower than that of under officer; (bb) "Force custody" means the arrest or confinement of a member of the Force in accordancewith rules made under this Act;] (c) "member of the Force" means a person appointed to the Force under this Act 3* * *; 4[(ca) "passenger" shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989) (cb) "passenger area" shall include railway platform, train, yard and such other area as isfrequently visited by passengers;] (d) "prescribed" mean prescribed by rules made under this Act; (e) "railway property" includes any goods, money or valuable security, or animal, belonging to,or in the charge or possession of, a railway administration; 5[(ea) "subordinate officer" means a person appointed to the Force as an Inspector, Sub-Inspectoror an Assistant Sub-Inspector;] (f) "superior officer" means any of the officers appointed under section 4 and includes any otherofficer appointed by the Central Government as a superior officer of the Force; 6[(fa) "under officer" means a person appointed to the Force as a Head Constable or Naik;] (g) words and expressions used but not defined in this Act and defined in the Indian RailwaysAct, 1890 (9 of 1890), shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them under that Act. 6[(2) Any reference in this act to a law which is not in force in any area shall in relation to that area,be construed as a reference to the corresponding law, if any, in force in that area.]

(1) There shall be constituted and maintained by the CentralGovernment a 1[an armed Force of the Union] to be called the Railway Protection Force for the betterprotection and security of railway property. (2) The force shall be constituted in such manner shall consist of such number of 2[superiorofficers subordinate officers, under officers and other enrolled members] of the Force and shall receivesuch pay and other renumeration as maybe prescribed.

1[(1) The Central Government may appoint aperson to be the Director-General of the Force and may appoint other persons to be Inspector-General,Additional Inspector-General, Deputy Inspector-General, Assistant Inspector-General, SeniorCommandants, Commandants or Assistant Commandants of the Force.] (2) The 2[Director-General] and every other superior officer so appointed shall posses and exercisesuch powers and authority over the members of the Force under their respective commands as is providedby or under this Act.

5. [Classes and ranks among members of the Force.]--Omitted by the Railway Protection Force(Amendment) Act, 1985 (60 of 1985), s. 6 (w.e.f. 20-9-1985).