Maintenance of Law and Order in India-Challenges and Solutions

Liberated in 1947 from the British Empire, India is fast emerging as a major global power. A good law and order situation is the first condition of rapid development of a nation. India is a multi ethnic society. India has many religions, sects, linguistic and racial groups which together consist a population as big as 1.25 billion which lives over 3.3 million square km of area across 29 states and 7 union territories. Naturally, this diversity of large area and population results in many issues and problems which give birth to the challenges of law and order. Again, nature of crimes also varies from common criminal activities to economic offences, crime against state, crime against humanity, etc. Political and social issues also lead to create problem for law and order. Police is the principal agency to maintain the law and order situation; however specific agencies are required to meet the situation as per the nature of problem. Thus, in India, alike most of the modern countries have different agencies which meet the challenges of various kinds day and night, throughout the year. There work varies to maintaining peace, investigation, counter terrorism, espionage and even relief and rehabilitation programmes. This article is an attempt to examine the Law and Order situation in India and its mechanism to maintain the system in Indian state.