The West Bengal Police Act, 1952

1. (1) This Act may be called the West Bengal Police Act, 1952. (2) It extends to the whole of West Bengal. (3) It shall come into force immediately on the West Bengal Police (Temporary Powers) Ordinance, 1951,* ceasing to operate.

2. In this Act,— (a) “area” means Calcutta, the suburbs of Calcutta or a general police-district, as the context implies ; (b) “Calcutta” means the town of Calcutta as defined in the Calcutta Police Act, 1866 ; (c) “general police-district” means a general police-district as defined in section 1 of the Police Act, 1861, read with section 2 of the Bengal Police Act, 1869, whenever necessary ; (d) “suburbs of Calcutta” means the suburbs of Calcutta as defined by notification under section 1 of the Calcutta Suburban Police Act, 1866.

3. It shall be lawful for the State Government to employ members of the police force of Calcutta or the suburbs of Calcutta in any general police-district, and members of any general police-district in Calcutta or the suburbs of Calcutta ; and while so employed every such member of a police force shall be deemed to be a member of the police force of the area in which he is so employed and to be vested with the powers, functions and privileges, and to be subject to liabilities of a member of the police force of that area.

4. If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the State Government may by order do or cause to be done anything which may be necessary for removing the difficulty.

5. No suit, prosecution or proceedings shall lie against any member of a police force for anything in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act.

6. The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other law.

7. Anything done or any action taken under the West Bengal Police (Temporary Powers) Ordinance, 1951, shall, on the said Ordinance ceasing to operate, be deemed to have been done or taken in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act as if this Act had come into force on the 26th day of December, 1951.