§ 4. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Secretary of State for India what was the strength of the police force in British India on the 1st January, 1920, and on the 1st January, 1930, in British officers and Indian ranks, respectively?
§ Mr. BENNI will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table of figures for 1920 and for the latest years available. Where the figures are for sanctioned strength, the hon. and gallant Member must understand that actual strength, could I give it, would be somewhat lower.
§ Sir A. KNOXCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the numbers have been greatly increased or not since 1920?
§ Mr. BENNIn some provinces there have been increases and in some provinces decreases. The table gives the figures. If the hon. Gentleman is thinking of Sholapur, I can give the numbers and say that they are increased in Sholapur.
§ Following is the table:
| Civil Police—Sanctioned Strength. | |||
| Year. | Officers (Members of the Indian Police Service and Deputy Superintendents). | Other Ranks. | |
| 1920 | … | 1,014 | 205,595 |
| 1927 | … | 1,093 | 195,144 |
| Indian Police Service (Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents)—Actual Strength. | ||
| Date. | Europeans. | Indians. |
| 1st July, 1922 | 627 | 66 |
| 1st January, 1929 | 564 | 128 |
| Military Police—Sanctioned Strength. | ||||
| Year. | European Officers (Commandants and Assistant Commandants). | Indian Officers (Subadars and Jamadars). | Other Ranks. | |
| 1920 | … | 120 | 835 | 29,329 |
| 1927 | … | 88 | 712 | 23,581 |