Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law, maintaining public order, and investigating and preventing crimes in India. The concept is an institutional framework, primarily governed by the Police Act, 1861, which was enacted by the British after the Mutiny of 1857 to create a police force focused on suppressing dissent and serving colonial interests. This colonial-era Act continues to govern most state police forces, despite criticism that it prioritizes political control over democratic values and accountability.
The mechanism of law enforcement is decentralized, as the Constitution of India delegates "police" and "public order" primarily to the states. This means that the State Police Units are the main LEAs for routine crime prevention and investigation. However, the Central Government maintains specialized agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which was formed in 1941 as the Special Police Establishment, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), established in 1956 to enforce economic laws like the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is the national ministry responsible for internal security and coordinating central and state LEAs.
Law enforcement has recently undergone a massive procedural and penal overhaul with the replacement of three core colonial-era laws, effective July 1, 2024. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860 was replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973 was replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 was replaced by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). The BNSS introduces key changes to police procedure, such as mandatory videography of search and seizure, the provision for Zero FIR (filing an FIR at any police station regardless of jurisdiction), and electronic reporting of incidents. Despite these significant changes to the criminal justice system, the foundational Police Act, 1861, which governs the structure and functioning of the police, remains in force.