Current Scenario> Current Indian Police System> Current Structure & Functions> Structure

According to article 246 of the Indian Constitution and section 3 of the IPA, the police force is a state subject and not dealt with at central level. Each state government has the responsibility to draw guidelines, rules and regulations for their respectively police forces. These regulations are found in the state police manuals.

        "If a state is not upholding law and order, the central government can intervene

        and  take control  over the  police  force according  to article  356 of the Indian          

        Constitution (as happened in Kerala in 1959,  Tami l Nadu  in 1976 and  Bihar

        latest in 1999).  Even  a  specific  police investigation  can  be referred to  the

        Central  Bureau  of  Investigation  (CBI) on national level, if the state wants an

        independent investigation (as done in the investigation of the assassination of

        Rajiv Gandhi case, the Purulia Arms dropping case and in the Priyadarshini

        Matto case)."

A state is divided into administrative police units. Highest in the hierarchy is the Director General of Police (DGP), who is the head of the state police force and is responsible for administration in the police and for advising the government on police issues. With the DGP as highest responsible for the state police force, the state is divided into several Zones, Ranges and Districts. Further, the districts are separated into sub-divisions, circles and police stations. Each police station is responsible for a particular area, which they divide into beats and assign personnel to it. The structure of the police force can vary slightly from state to state, due to organisational and administrative convenience and depending on its area and population. Nevertheless the structure is overall, strictly hierarchical and the decision making power is centralised with a few high ranking police officers.