As of March 2026, India's police continue to be governed by a
colonial police law passed in 1861. The
Indian Constitution makes policing a
state subject and therefore the state governments have the responsibility to provide their communities with a police service. However, after independence, most have adopted the 1861 Act without change, while others have passed laws heavily based on the 1861 Act. Repeated major incidents, like the
2012 Delhi gang rape and murder,
2020 Hathras gang rape and murder, as well as terrorist attacks such as the
2008 Mumbai attacks revealed the failure of the police to uphold the
rule of law. The need for police reform in India has long been recognised. There have been almost 30 years of debate and discussion by government-created committees and commissions on the way forward for police reform, but India remains saddled with an outdated and old-fashioned law, while report after report gathers dust on government bookshelves without implementation. Many committees on police reform have recommended major reforms in the police system coupled with systematic
accountability.
National Police Commission (1977–81) The National Police Commission was the first committee set up by the
Government of India to report on policing. The National Police Commission began sitting in 1979, in the context of a post-Emergency India, and produced eight reports, including a Model Police Act, between 1979 and 1981.
Ribeiro Committee (1998–99) In 1996, two former senior police officers filed a
Public interest litigation (PIL) in the
Supreme Court, asking for the Court to direct governments to implement the recommendations of the National Police Commission. The Supreme Court directed the government to set up a committee to review the commission's recommendations, and thus the Ribeiro Committee was formed. The committee, under the leadership of
Julio Ribeiro, a former chief of police, sat over 1998 and 1999, and produced two reports.
Padmanabhaiah Committee (2000) In 2000, the government set up a third committee on police reform, this time under the stewardship of a former union home secretary,
K. Padmanabhaiah. This Committee released its report in the same year.
Malimath Committee Report (2003) The Malimath Committee Report submitted in March 2003 has very articulately laid down the foundation of a restructured and reoriented police system. The committee in its report observed that the success of the whole process of Criminal Justice Administration depended completely on the proper functioning of the police organisation especially in the investigation stage. Apart from the investigation of offences, the police also have the duty of maintaining law and order.
Soli Sorabjee Committee (2005) In 2005, the government put together a group to draft a new police act for India. It was headed by
Soli Sorabjee (former
attorney general). The committee submitted a Model Police Act to the union government in late 2006. ordered the state governments to implement several reforms in police force. Several measures were identified as necessary to professionalise the police in India: • A mid or high ranking police officer must not be transferred more frequently than every two years. • The state government cannot ask the police force to hire someone, nor can they choose the
Director General of the State Police. • There must be separate departments and staff for investigation and patrolling, which will include the creation of: • A
State Security Commission, for policies and direction • A
Police Establishment Board, which will decide the selection, promotions and transfers of police officers and other staff • A
Police Complaints Authority, to inquire into allegations of police misconduct.
Follow-up from Supreme Court In 2006, due to a lack of action by all the state governments, the
Supreme Court ordered the state governments to report to it why the reform measures outlined were not implemented. After being questioned in front of the judges of the
Supreme Court, the state governments finally started to reform the police forces and give them the operational independence they need for fearless and proper law enforcement.
Tamil Nadu Police has been in the forefront of application of the new referendum. Again, in October 2012, a Supreme Court bench of
Chief Justice Altamas Kabir and justices
S. S. Nijjar and
Jasti Chelameswar asked all state governments and
Union territories to inform about compliance of its September 2006 judgement. The order was passed when Prakash Singh through his lawyer
Prashant Bhushan said that many of the reforms (ordered by the Supreme Court) have yet not been implemented by many state governments.
Concerns Mental health and suicide IPS officers have complained of high levels of stress due to long work hours and unrealistic demands of political bosses. Retired Director General of Police in Uttar Pradesh
Vikram Singh believes job discontent is a combination of "no holidays, lack of sleep, the sinking feeling of failure, public treatment of policemen with contempt, the indifference of political bosses and almost no connect with superiors". Professional stress ruins personal lives and leads to marital discord. The inability to balance professional and personal lives has led some IPS officers to commit suicide.
Low training standards and personnel shortage As of March 2023, India has a police-to-population of 153 personnel per 100,000 citizens, which is less than the sanctioned strength of 196 personnel, as well as way below the United Nations minimum requirement of 222 personnel per 100,000 citizens. The training has also fallen short of world standards, with the shortage of personnel causing investigations to suffer. These issues were previously noted in the aftermath of the 2008 terrorist attacks in
Jaipur,
Bangalore, and
Ahmedabad.
Overworking and underpaid The Indian Police Service has often faced the issues of being overworked, as well as underpaid. The
7th Pay Commission mandated a pay of Rs. 21,700 per month for constables, with the Director-General of Police having a pay of Rs. 225,000 per month. The pay for constables and inspector-ranked officers varies from state to state. Due to a lack of shift system, many officers, especially the constable ranks were forced to work for more than 24 hours at a stretch, with no overtime pay. This affects the quality of the investigation as well as the morale of the officials on duty. Furthermore, the constabulary also does not get decent housing or any allowances for reasonable accommodation. In May 2022, the
Mumbai Police implemented an 8-hour shift system for the constable rank officers and assistant sub-inspectors, and 16 hours of rest. Following a lawsuit by a constable of the
Delhi Police for demanding fixed working hours, proper housing, and reasonable pay in 2015, the
Delhi High Court ordered senior officers of implementing better working conditions for constables in May 2023. == Misconduct, Corruption, and Human Rights Concern in the IPS==