Section 61: Enlistment of Village Guard and Selection Criteria.

(1) Each village in the district shall have at least one Village Guard, enlisted by the District Superintendent of Police from amongst able-bodied persons of either gender, between the age of 21 and 50 years and with unimpeachable character and antecedents, who are permanent residents of that village, possessing the ability to read and write in the local language, who have not been convicted by a court of law or have not had charges framed against them by a court of law in criminal cases or dismissed, removed, discharged or compulsorily retired from any employment on grounds of corruption, moral turpitude or misconduct, and who are not active members of any political party, or organization allied to a political party or a militant outfit. (2) A person enlisted as a Village Guard will normally have a tenure of three years, which may be renewed, upon satisfactory performance. No renewal shall, however, be granted to a person after he crosses the age of fifty years or who has served for two consecutive terms or who incurs any other condition of ineligibility specified in Section 61(1). (3) A Village Guard shall be removed from the assignment at any time during the currency of his enlistment, if he incurs any condition of ineligibility stipulated in Section 61(1). (4) The Village Guard shall be a public servant as defined in the Indian Penal Code, 1860. (5) The Superintendent of Police shall ensure that every person, on his induction as a Village Guard, is administered a training course of a duration and as per the syllabus, prescribed by the Director General of Police. Periodical refresher training shall also be organized for those who are re-enlisted as Village Guards, for each renewed term. (6) Every person enlisted as a Village Guard shall take an oath or affirmation, as prescribed, before the officer-in-charge of the Police Station concerned. (7) Each Village Guard will be provided with an Identification Badge and a reasonable monthly honorarium and out-of-pocket expenses, as may be fixed by the Government from time to time. The honorarium so fixed shall not be less than that paid to a Home Guard in the State. (8) Any person who for any reason ceases to be a Village Guard shall forthwith deliver up to the Superintendent of Police or to any officer authorized by him, his Identification Badge and all records and documents maintained by him as the Village Guard.