Union Ministry for Home Affairs
The Union Ministry for Home Affairs controls the
nationwide Indian Police Service, most of the paramilitary
forces, and the internal intelligence bureaus.
The Police are a civil authority subordinate
to the Executive, represented in the Union
Government by the Prime Minister and in the States
by the Chief Minister, and their respective
Councils of Ministers. Prominent among the Union
police forces are the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI), Border Security Force (BSF),
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central
Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Each of these
forces is headed by a Director/Director-General
with the status of a three-star General in the
Army. The CBI is controlled by the Department of
Personnel of the Union Government headed by a
Minister of State who reports to the Prime
Minister. The other forces are controlled by the
Union Ministry of Home Affairs headed by a Cabinet
Minister.
The rapid growth of the internal intelligence bureaus and the increased
use of paramilitary forces against separatist insurgencies and communal unrest have given the Home Ministry increasing day-to-day control over law and order operations. Centrally
controlled paramilitary forces are deployed throughout India and have been responsible for significant human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast. These abuses
ultimately raised questions about the effectiveness of civilian oversight and the extent of the Government's willingness and ability to prosecute offenders vigorously. Army units are also deployed for internal security duty in Kashmir and the northeast, and generally show greater respect for human rights than the paramilitary forces, although they have also been
responsible for some abuses.
The 25 state governments have primary responsibility for
maintaining law and order. However, the central Government
provides guidance and support through use of national
paramilitary forces and in law has ultimate responsibility for
protecting the fundamental rights guaranteed under the
Constitution.
The bulk of the Indian Police is comprised of
forces in the States. Each State has its own force
headed by a Director-General of Police (DGP) who
is equivalent in rank to his counterpart in the
Union Government forces. A number of Additional
Directors-General or Inspectors-General of Police
(IGP) who look after various portfolios, such as
Personnel, Law & Order, Intelligence, Crime, Armed
Police, Training, and Technical Services are
located at the State Police Headquarters and
report directly to the DGP. Major cities in a
State are headed by a Commissioner of Police (CP)
who, again, reports to the DGP. Areas outside
these cities in a State are divided into Districts
of varying size. Each district is headed by a
Superintendent of Police (SP) and supervised by a
Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) whose jurisdiction
is called a Range, composed of a group of three or
four districts.
The administration of Prisons in
India is the sole responsibility of the States.
All prisons are managed by State governments or by
the Union Territory administration. The Central
Government is largely concerned with policy
formulation and planning services. In each State,
the head of prison administration is an Inspector-
General who is usually a police officer.
The Union Ministry for Home Affairs controls most of the paramilitary forces, the internal intelligence bureaus, and the nationwide police service; it provides training for senior police officers for the state-organized police forces. The armed forces are under civilian control. Security forces have committed significant human rights abuses, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir and in the northeastern states.
Sources and Methods
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/india/home/
Created by John Pike
Maintained by Steven Aftergood
Updated Sunday, May 24, 1998 7:46:48 AM
