West Bengal National Volunteer Force Act, 1949
No: 1 Dated: Feb, 24 1949
THE WEST BENGAL NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FORCE ACT, 1949
West Bengal Act 1 of 1949
An Act to provide for the constitution of a National Volunteer Force in West Bengal.
Whereas it is expedient and necessary to provide for the constitution of a National Volunteer Force in West Bengal by enrolment therein of the citizens of India or persons having permanent domicile in West Bengal who may offer themselves for such enrolment, for service during a period of emergency and for such other purposes as the State Government may think fit;
It is hereby enacted as follows:-
1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the West Bengal National Volunteer Force Act, 1949.
(2) It extends to the whole of West Bengal.
(3) It shall come into force on the date on which the West Bengal National Volunteer Force Ordinance, 1948, ceases to operate.
2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-
(a) "Advisory Committee" means the West Bengal National Volunteer Force Advisory Committee, the District Advisory Committee or the Unit Advisory Committee constituted under section 15 ;
(b) "Calcutta" means the town of Calcutta as defined in section 3 of the Calcutta Police Act, 1866, together with the suburbs of Calcutta as defined by notification under section 1 of the Calcutta Suburban Police Act, 1866 ;
(c) "Force" means the West Bengal National Volunteer Force ;
(cc) "Inspector-General" means the Inspector-General of Police referred to in section 4 of the Police Act, 1861 and includes any officer to whom such Inspector-General of Police may delegate his powers, functions and duties under this Act;
(d) "Officer" means an officer appointed under this Act;
(e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(f) "subordinate other ranks" means subordinate other ranks appointed under this Act; and
(g) "volunteer" means a person enrolled as a member of the West Bengal National Volunteer Force or of any unit or corps of the Force established, constituted or formed, as the case may be, under the proviso to section 3 or section 7.
3. Constitution of the National Volunteer Force. - (1) The State Government may raise and maintain a volunteer force to be called the West Bengal National Volunteer Force and for that purpose enrol persons as volunteers from Calcutta and elsewhere in West Bengal:
Provided that the State Government may establish all or any of the units of the Force as and when necessary.
(2) Subject to the control of the State Government, the superintendence and direction of the Force shall be vested in the Inspector-General and all officers and subordinate other ranks of the Force appointed under section 5 shall be subordinate to the Inspector-General.
4. Functions. - A volunteer, when called upon for duty, shall discharge such functions in relation to the protection of persons, the security of property and the preservation of the public peace in any area within West Bengal and such other functions as may be assigned to him by or under this Act.
5. Appointment of officers and subordinate other ranks. - The State Government or any person empowered in this behalf by the State Government may appoint a State Commandant of the Force and such other officers and such subordinate other ranks for, and for any unit of, the Force as the State Government may consider necessary and may prescribe the powers and duties of such officers and subordinate other ranks in addition to the powers and duties conferred by this Act. Every officer and subordinate other rank shall have the privileges and protection conferred on an officer or subordinate other rank by or under this Act.