Law and Order is a foundational concept in Indian governance, representing the state's fundamental responsibility to protect life, liberty, and property and ensure the fair application of laws. It is the broadest of three concentric circles, where a breach of law and order affects individuals or small groups, but the narrower concept of Public Order concerns disturbances that affect the community at large and disrupt the "even tempo of life".
The legal framework for this concept is rooted in the Constitution of India, which came into effect on January 26, 1950, with administrative provisions largely drawn from the Government of India Act 1935. The mechanism for its maintenance is defined by the federal structure: it is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. This assigns the primary duty to prevent, detect, and investigate crime to the State Governments. Enforcement is carried out by state police forces, while the central government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), supplements these efforts and provides the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers who lead both state and federal agencies.
The core legal instruments governing law and order underwent a historic overhaul, with the new codes coming into effect on July 1, 2024. The Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, was replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, was replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The Indian Evidence Act, 1872, was replaced by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023. The BNS notably removed the colonial-era offense of Sedition (formerly IPC Section 124A) and replaced it with a new offense for acts endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India. The BNSS introduced procedural changes, such as allowing police custody to be authorized in parts during the initial 60 or 90 days of judicial custody.