Law and Constitution (Constitution, Criminal Law and Allied Statutes)
The law portion carries high weight for a police aspirant. It covers the Constitution (rights, directive principles, duties, courts, writs, emergency, amendments), substantive criminal law, procedure, evidence, and allied statutes such as the Rajasthan Police Act, 2007, NDPS Act, Arms Act, POCSO Act, JJ Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Constitution
- Part III: Article 14 equality, 19 six freedoms, 20 protection in conviction, 21 life and personal liberty (with 21A education), 22 arrest safeguards, 23–24 against exploitation.
- Writs: Article 32 before the Supreme Court, Article 226 before High Courts (the High Court's power is wider).
- Directive principles: Article 40 panchayats, 44 uniform civil code, 50 separation of the judiciary; Article 51A lists fundamental duties.
- Emergency: 352 national, 356 state, 360 financial.
Criminal law in transition
Since 1 July 2024 the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act are replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. Murder is BNS section 103 (old IPC 302); the FIR provision is BNSS section 173 (old CrPC 154); a confession to a police officer remains inadmissible. Papers may still use the old numbering, so learn both.
Worked example
Which provision requires an arrested person to be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours? Reasoning: this is a fundamental right under Article 22(2), reinforced by CrPC section 57 (now BNSS section 58). Answer: Article 22(2), not Article 21.
Traps
- Mixing Article 32 with Article 226.
- Quoting IPC sections after the BNS switch without noting the new number.
- Treating directive principles as enforceable; only Part III rights are.
- Forgetting that the 24-hour rule excludes journey time.