RAILWAY PROTECTION FORCE ACT, 1957
(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 date1as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
1 [(1)] In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--
(a) "Force" means the Railway Protection Force constituted under section 3;
1 [(b) "Director-General" mens 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 b2 [* *];
(d) "prescribed" mean prescribed by rules
(1)There shall be constituted and maintained by the Central Government a 1 [anarmed Force of the Union] to be called the Railway Protection Force for thebetter protection and security of railway property.
(2)The force shall be constituted in such manner shall consist of such number of 2 [superiorofficers 2 [subordinate officers, under officers and other enrolledmembers] of the Force and shall receive such pay and other renumeration as maybe prescribed.
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1 .Substituted for the words "or Force" by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act 60 of 1985) w.e.f. (20-9-85)
2. Substituted for the words "superior officers and members", by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act 60 of 1985) w.e.f. (20-9-85)
1 [(1) the Central Government mayappoint a person to be the director-General of the Force and may appoint otherpersons to be Inspector-General. Additional Inspector-General, DeputyInspector-General, Assistant Inspector-General, Senior Commandants, Commandantsor Assistant Commandants of the Force.]
(2)The 2 [Director-General] and every other superior officer so appointedshall posses and exercise such powers and authority over the members of theForce under their respective commands as is provided by or under this Act.
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1. Substituted by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act, (60 of 1985), w.e.f. 20-9-85.
2 .Substituted for the Words "Inspector-General", by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act, (60 of 1985), w.e.f.
[Omitted by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act (60 of 1985), Section 6 (20-9-85).
1 [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:
Provide 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.]
(1)Every member of the Force shall receive on his appointment a certificate in theform specified in the Schedule, under the seal of the 1 [Inspector-General,Additional Inspector-General or Deputy Inspector-General] or such other superiorofficer as the a 1 [Inspector-General, Additional Inspector-Generalor Deputy Inspector-General] may specify in this behalf by virtue of which theperson holding such certificate shall be vested with the powers of a member ofthe Force.
(2)Such certificate shall cease to have effect whenever the person named in itceases for any reason to be a member of the Force 2 [* * * *].
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1. Substituted for the words "Chief Security Officer" by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act (60 of 1985), Section 8 w.e.f. (20-9-85).
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1 [8. Superintendence And Administration Of The Force
(1) The superintendence of the Force shall vest in the Central Government, and subject thereto and to the provisions of this Act and of any rules made there under, the command supervision and administration of the Force shall vest in the Director-General.
(2) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (1), the administration of the Force, within such local limits in relation to a railway as may be prescribed shall be carried on by an Inspector-General, an Additional Inspector-General or a Deputy Inspector-General in accordance with the provisions of this Act and of any rules made there under and they shall, subject to any direction that may be given by the Central Government or the Director-General in this behalf discharge his function under the general supervision of the General Mana
(1)Subject to the provisions of Article 311 of the Constitution and to such rulesas the Central Government may make under this Act, any superior officer may--
(i)dismiss, suspend or reduce in rank any 1 [enrolled member] of theForce whom he shall think remiss or negligent in the discharge of his duty, orunfit for the same; or
(ii)award any one or more of the following punishments to any 1 [enrolledmember] of the Force who discharges his duty in a careless or negligent manner,or who by any act of his own renders himself unfit for the discharge thereof,namely:--
(a)fine to any amount not exceeding seven days' pay or reduction in pay scale;
(b)confinement to quarters for a period not exceeding fourteen days with or withoutpunishment, drill, extra guard
1 [Director-General and everymember of the Force] shall for all purposes be regarded as railway servants withthe meaning of the Indian Railways Act, 1890, other than Chapter VI-A thereof,and shall be entitled to exercise the powers conferred on railway servants by orunder that Act.
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1 .Substituted for the words "The Inspector-General and every other superior officer and every member of the Force" by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act (60 of 1985), w.e.f. (20-9-85).
It shall be the duty of every superior officer and member of the Force--
(a) promptly to execute all orders lawfully issued to him by his superior authority;
(b) to protect and safeguard railway property;
(c) to remove any obstruction in the movement of railway property; and
(d) to do any other act conductive to the better protection and security of railway property.
1[12. Power To Arrest Without Warrant
Any member of the Force may, without an order from a Magistrate and without a warrant, arrest--
(i) any person who voluntarily causes hurt to, or attempts voluntarily to cause hurt to, or wrongfully restrain or attempts wrongfully to restrain, or assaults, threatens to assault, or uses, or threatens or attempts to use, criminal force to him or any other member of the Force in the execution of his duty as such member, or with intent to prevent or to deter him from discharging his duty as such member, or in consequence of anything done or attempted to be done by him in the lawful discharge of his duty as such member; or
(ii) any person who has been concerned in, or against whom a reasonable suspicion exists of his having been concerned in, or who is found ta
(1)Whenever 1 [* * *] any member of the Force, not below the rank of aSenior Rakshak, has reason to believe that any such offence as is referred to insection 12 has been or is being committed and that a search-warrant cannot beobtained without affording the offender an opportunity of escaping or ofconcealing evidence of the offence, he may detain him and search his person andbelongings forthwith and if he thinks proper, arrest any person whom he hasreason to believe to have committed the offence.
(2)The provisions of the 2 [Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973], relatingto searches under that Code shall, so far as may be, apply to searches underthis section.
Any1[* * *] member of the Force making an arrest under this Act, shall, without unnecessary delay, make over the person so arrested to a police officer, or in the absence of a police officer, take such person or cause him to be taken to the nearest police station.
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1. Words "superior officer or" omitted by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act (60 of 1985), w.e.f. (20-9-85).
1 [(1) Every member of the Forceshall, for the purposes of this Act, be considered to be always on duty, andshall, at any time, be liable to be employed at any place within India.]
(2)No 2 [* * *] member of the Force shall engage himself in anyemployment or office other than his duties under this Act.
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1 .Substituted by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act (60 of 1985)w.e.f. (20-9-85).
2.Words "superior officer or" omitted, Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act (60 of 1985) w.e.f. (20-9-85)..
1[15A. Restrictions Respecting Right To Form Association, Etc.
(1) No member of the Force shall, without the previous sanction in writing of the Central Government or of the prescribed authority,--
(a) be a member of, or be associated in any way with, any trade union, labour union, political association or with any class of trade unions, labour unions or political associations; or
(b) be a member of, or be associated in any way with, any other society, institution, association or organisation that is not recognised as part of the Force or is not of a purely social, recreational or religious nature; or
(c) communicate with the press or publish or cause to be published any book, letter or other document except where such communication or publication i
A member of the Force shall not by reason of his suspension from office cease to be a member of the Force; and he shall, during that period, be subject to the same responsibilities, discipline and penalties to which he would have been subject if he were on duty.
1 [16A. Surrender Of Certificate, Arms, Etc., By Persons Ceasing To Be Members Of The Force
(1) Every person who for any reason ceases to be a member of the Force, shall forthwith surrender to any superior officer empowered to receive the same, his certificate of appointment, the arms, accoutrements, clothing and other articles which have been furnished to him for the performance of his duties as a member of the Force.
(2) Any person who wilfully neglects or refuses to surrender his certificate of appointment, the arms, accoutrements, clothing and other articles furnished to him, as required by sub-section (1) shall on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.
(3) Nothing in this sec
1 [17. Penalties For Neglect Of Duty, Etc.
(1) Without prejudice to the provisions contained in S. 9, every enrolled member of the Force who shall be guilty of any violation of duty or willful breach or neglect of any rule or lawful order made by a superior officer, or who shall withdraw from duties of his office without permission, or who, being absent on leave, fails, without reasonable cause, to report himself for duty on the expiration of the leave, or who engages himself without authority for any employment other than his duty as an enrolled member of the Force, or who shall be guilty of cowardice may be taken into Force custody and shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment which may extend to one year.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, an offence punishable under this sectio
The Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act, 1922 shall apply to members of the Force as it applies to members of a police force.
1 [19. Certain Acts Not To Apply To Members Of The Force
Nothing contained in the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, or the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 or the Factories Act, 1948, or any corresponding law relating to investigation and settlement of industrial dispute in force in a State shall apply to members of the Force.]
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1 .Substituted by Railway Protection Force (Amendment) Act (60 of 1985) w.e.f. (20-9-85).
(1) In any suit or proceeding against any 1 [* * * *] member of the Force for any act done by him in the discharge of his duties, it shall be lawful for him to plead that such act was done by him under the orders of a competent authority.
(2) Any such plea may be proved by the production of the order directing the act, and if it is so proved, the 1 [* * * *] member of the Force shall thereupon be discharged from any liability in respect of the act so done by him, notwithstanding any defect in the jurisdiction of the authority which issued such order.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for he time being in force, any legal proceeding, whether civil or criminal, which may lawfully be brought against any 1 [* * *] member of the Force for anything done or intended to be done under the powers conferred by, or in pursuan
(1)The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rulesfor carrying out the purposes of this Act.
(2)In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing powers,such rules may provide for--
(a)regulating the classes and grades and the pay and remuneration of 1 [** *] members of the Force and their conditions of service in the Force;
(b)regulating the powers and duties of 1 [* * *] members of the Forceauthorised to exercise any functions by or under this Act;
(c)fixing the period of service for 1 [* * *] members of the Force;
2 [(d) prescribing the descriptionand quanity of arms, accoutrements, clothing and other necessary articles to befurnished to the members
THE SCHEDULE
(See section 7)
A.B. has been appointed a member of the Railway Protection Force under the Railway Force Act, 1987, and is vested with the powers, functions and privileges of a member of the Force.
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