Report No. 64

6.3. Section 13-change not suggested.-

The Committee recommended1 that the duties of the Special Police Officer, as enumerated in section 13, should be assigned to an officer not below the rank of Inspector, so that adequate personnel to discharge these functions could be available in the country. But having regard to the wide powers conferred on special police officers, we are opposed to such a change. We give below a list of functions performed by Special Police Officers appointed under section 13:

(1) Section 14(1)-Arrest without warrant for offences under the Act.

Section 14(2)-The special police officer can also authorise any officer subordinate to him to arrest without warrant.

(2) Section 15-Search of premises without warrant can be done by such officer in certain circumstances.

(3) Section 15(5)-The special police officer who has removed any girl who is in his opinion below 21 years and is carrying on, or made to carry on, prostitution under section 15(4) has to forthwith produce her before the appropriate Magistrate.

(4) Section 16A-Magistrate may direct the special police officer to enter a brothel and to rescue therefrom such girl, whom he has reasons to believe is below 21 years and produce her before him. The special police officer has to produce the girl before the Magistrate forthwith after taking the girl.

(5) Section 17-When the special police Officer removing a girl under section 15(4) or section 16(1) fails to produce her immediately before the appropriate Magistrate, he has to forthwith produce her before the nearest Magistrate of any class for his orders.

1. Report of the Committee on amendments to the Suppression etc. Act, para. 5.3, Recommendation N.o 7