The Telangana Village Police Act, 1974.

THE TELANGANA VILLAGE POLICE ACT, 1974. 
(ACT NO. 31 OF 1974.) 
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
Sections 
1. Short title, extent and commencement. 
2. Definitions. 
3. Appointment of village police and its head. 
4. Administration of village police. 
5. Duties of village police officer. 
6. Authority of the Village police officer over other 
village officer and servants. 
7. Action as to stolen property. 
8. Preservation in tact of scene of offence. 
9. Village police officer to take charge of unclaimed 
property. 
10. Accident to aircraft. 
11. Penalty for neglect of duty, etc. 
12. Power to make rules. 
13. Repeal. 
 
THE TELANGANA VILLAGE POLICE ACT, 1974.1 
 
ACT No. 31 OF 1974. 
 
1. (1) This Act may be called the 2Telangana Village 
Police Act, 1974. 
 
 (2) It extends to the whole of the 2State of Telangana. 
 
 (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State 
Government may, by notification in the 2Telangana Gazette, 
appoint. 
 
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- 
 
 (1) “cattle” includes all horned cattle, elephants, 
camels, horses, asses, mules, sheep, goats and swine ; 
 
 (2) “Government” means the State Government; 
 
 (3) “notification” means the notification published in the 
2Telangana Gazette, and the word “notified” shall be 
construed accordingly; 
 
 (4) “Police officer ” means any member of the police 
force appointed or deemed to be appointed under any law 
relating to the police force for the time being in force in the 
State ; and includes a special police officer; 
 
                                                           
1. The Andhra Pradesh Village Police Act, 1974 received the assent of 
the Governor on the 28th August, 1974. The said Act in force in the 
combined State, as on 02.06.2014, has  been adapted to the State of 
Telangana, under section 101 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation 
Act, 2014 (Central Act 6 of 2014) vide. the Telangana Adaptation of Laws 
Order, 2016, issued in G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 
01.06.2016. 
2. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45. Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 
 
Short title, extent 
and 
commencement. 
Definitions. 
2  [Act No. 31 of 1974] 
 (5) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made 
under this Act ; 
 
 (6) “village” means any local area which is recognised 
as a revenue village in the revenue accounts of the 
Government ; 
 
 (7) “village police officer ” means the head of a village, 
by whatever designation locally known, who is appointed as 
the head of the village police under section 3. 
 
3. For the purposes  of this Act,  the District  Magistrate or 
any officer authorised by him in this behalf may appoint, one 
or more village servants as  village police for each village, 
and the police pate l, village headman, village munsif, triune 
officer or other head of the village by whatever designation 
locally known, as the  head of the village police of that 
village. 
 
4. The administration of the village police in each district 
shall vest in the District Magistrate, who may delegate any of 
his powers and functions relating to such administration to a 
subordinate Executive Magistrate within whose local 
jurisdiction the village is situated. 
 
5. Every village police officer shall- 
 
 (a) reciprocally communicate  all information regarding 
any offences committed or any gang of robbers or strangers 
of suspicious appearance having entered  or taken refuge in 
the village ; 
 
 (b) report promptly to the nearest Executive Magistrate 
having jurisdiction over the village and to the police officer 
in-charge of the nearest police station,- 
 
  (i) the matters specified in clause (a), 
Administration of 
village police. 
Duties of village 
police officer. 
Appointment of 
village police and 
its head. 
[Act No.31 of 1974]  3 
  (ii) all offences committed in the village, and 
 
  (iii) all matters connected with public peace and 
tranquility; 
 
 (c) afford such assistance and facility as may be 
necessary or required by any police officer in the discharge 
of his duty; 
 
 (d) obey and execute all lawful orders issued to him by 
the concerned Executive Magistrate or the Police Officer; 
 
 (e) prevent, to the best of his ability, the commission of 
any offence or pub lic nuisance within the  limits of the 
village; and 
 
 (f) take measures consistent with law to bring offenders 
to justice. 
 
6. The village police officer shall have authority to require 
the Karnam and any Village servant to aid  him in the 
discharge of his duties under this Act. 
 
 
7. Where the village police officer is informed  that stolen 
property is being concealed and where  he has reason to 
apprehend that the stolen property may be made away with 
unless prompt measures are taken to secure it, he shall 
cause search to be made in the prescribed manner and 
secure and forward the property, if found, a long with the 
offender to the police officer in charge of the nearest police 
station. 
 
8. The village police officer shall endeavour to  the best of 
his ability to preserve in tact the scene of  offence and finger 
and foot prints in case of murder , house-breaking, robbery, 
Authority of the 
Village police 
officer over other 
village officer and 
servants. 
Action as to stolen 
property. 
Preservation in 
tact of scene of 
offence. 
4  [Act No. 31 of 1974] 
dacoity, rioting, accidental  death or suicide until the police  
officer concerned arrives on the scene for investigation. 
 
9. The village police officer shall take charge of  all the 
unclaimed property found within the limits of the village or 
delivered to him lawfully and sh all forthwith forward all such 
property to the police officer in charge of the nearest police 
station for disposal in accordance with law. 
 
10. On the occurrence of an accident  to an aircraft, the 
village police officer shall at once report  the matter to the 
Executive Magistrate having jurisdiction over the area and to 
the police officer in charge of  the nearest police station and 
if any person is injured as a result of such accident, the 
village police officer shall forthwith report the matter to the 
nearest medical officer. He shall also take such further 
action as may be prescribed. 
 
11. Any village police offic er, village police, or other village 
officer or servant liable to be requisitioned for the purpose of 
police duties under this Act who  shall be guilty of neglect or 
violation of duty imposed  by or un der this Act, or wilful 
breach of any rule or order made by a competent authority 
under this Act, shall be punished with imprisonment for a 
term which may extend to three months, or with fine which 
may extend to one hundred rupees, or with both. 
 
12. (1) The  Government may, by notification,  make rules 
for carrying out all or any of the purposes of this Act. 
 
 (2) Every rule made under this Act, shall, immediately 
after it is made, be laid before each House of the State 
Legislature if it is in session and if it is not in session, in the 
session immediately following, for a total period of fourteen 
days which may  be comprised in one session, or in two 
successive sessions, and if, before the expiration of the 
session in which it is so laid or the session immediately 
Village police 
officer to take 
charge of 
unclaimed 
property. 
Accident to 
aircraft. 
Penalty for 
neglect of duty, 
etc. 
Power to make 
rules. 
[Act No.31 of 1974]  5 
following, both Houses agree in making any modification in 
the rule or in the annulment of the rule,  the rule shall, from 
the date on which the modification or annulment is notified, 
have effect only in such modified form or shall stand  
annulled, as the case may be ; so however that any such 
modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the 
validity of anything previously done under that rule. 
 
13. The Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Village Police  
Regulation, 1816, and the Andhra Pradesh  (Andhra Area) 
Village Police Regulation, 1821 are hereby repealed. 
 
* * * 
Repeal. 

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