Railway Protection Force Act, 1957
No: 23 Dated: Aug, 29 1957
THE RAILWAY PROTECTION FORCE ACT, 1957
ACT NO. 23 OF 1957
An Act to provide for the constitution and regulation of an armed Force of the Union for the better protection and security of railway property, passenger area and passengers and for matters connected therewith.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Eighth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
2. Definitions. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “Force” means the Railway Protection Force constituted under section 3;
(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 other member 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 accordance with rules made under this Act;
(c) “member of the Force” means a person appointed to the Force under this Act;
(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 is frequently 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;
(ea) “subordinate officer” means a person appointed to the Force as an Inspector, Sub-Inspector or an Assistant Sub-Inspector;
(f) “superior officer” means any of the officers appointed under section 4 and includes any other officer appointed by the Central Government as a superior officer of the Force;
(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 Railways Act, 1890 (9 of 1890), shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them under that Act.
(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.
3. Constitution of the Force.—(1) There shall be constituted and maintained by the Central Government a an armed Force of the Union to be called the Railway Protection Force for the better protection and security of railway property.
(2) The force shall be constituted in such manner shall consist of such number of superior officers subordinate officers, under officers and other enrolled members of the Force and shall receive such pay and other renumeration as may be prescribed.
4. Appointment and powers of superior officers.—(1) The Central Government may appoint a person 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, Senior Commandants, Commandants or Assistant Commandants of the Force.
(2) The Director-General and every other superior officer so appointed shall posses and exercise such powers and authority over the members of the Force under their respective commands as is provided by 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).
6. Appointment of members of the Force.—The appointment of enrolled members of the Force shall rest with the Inspector-General, Additional Inspector-General or Deputy Inspector-General who shall exercise that power in accordance with rules made under this Act:
Provided that the power of appointment under this section may also be exercised by other superior officer as the Inspector-General, Additional Inspector-General or Deputy Inspector-General concerned may, by order, specify in this behalf.