Police Act, 1861
Section 3: Superintendence in the State Government
Superintendence in the [State Government].—The superintendence of the police throughout a general police-district shall vest in and *** shall be exercised by the [State Government] to which such district is subordinate; and except as authorised under the provisions of this Act, no person, officer, or Court shall be empowered by the [State Government] to *** supersede, or control any police functionary.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 3
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IN RE: PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL REPORTS OF THE OFFICERS OF THE INDIAN FOREST SERVICE versus
Issue arose as to whether the officers in the Indian Administrative Service-IAS would be a “reporting authority”, “reviewing authority” and “accepting authority” of the officers working in the Indian Forest Service-IFS.
- The State of Tamil Nadu & Ors. v. Elephant G. Rajendran & Ors. Etc.
- Sidhartha Vashisht @ Manu Sharma v. State (Nct of Delhi)
- Nirmal Singh Kahlon v. State of Punjab and Ors.
- Vineet Narain and Ors v. Union of India and Anr.
- State of Haryana v. Shri P.C. Wadhwa, Ips Inspector General of Police & Anr.
- Khatri & Ors. Etc. v. State of Bihar & Ors.
- State of Bihar and Anr v. J.A.C. Saldanha and Ors.