New Delhi: Around 5.3 lakh posts are lying vacant in various police stations across the country, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Rai, in a written reply to a question by Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi MP Dr T. R. Paarivendhar on vacancies in police stations across the country. Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Rai in his response said that as per data on Police Organisations compiled by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), sanctioned strength of police is 26,23,225, actual strength is 20,91,488 and 5,31,737 vacancies are there as on January 1, 2020.

On being asked regarding the action taken by the government to fill these vacancies and the time by which all these vacant posts are likely to be filled, he replied that “Police” is a State subject falling in List-II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.

“It is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments to fill up the vacancies in the police force in their respective States.”

He added the Centre also issues advisories to the States for filling up these vacancies in the States and to bring in the requisite reforms in the police administration to meet the expectations of the people.

“In the States/UTs wise list of sanctioned and actual strength of police as per BRP&D, except the state Nagaland that has 1375 more police personnel then the sanctioned strength, rest of states short fall of their sanctioned strength. In UP over one lakh vacancies of policemen are pending followed by West Bengal (55,294) and Bihar (47,099).”