Wherever it appears, on the basis of information received, that there is likelihood of violence or major crime or damage to property in any area, the Superintendent of Police, in consultation with the District Magistrate, may direct organization of a group of local respectable persons for each village or cluster of villages or town for the purpose of carrying out preventive patrolling, promoting crime reduction measures and generally assisting the Police in their functioning. The group will be called the Village/Town Defence Party and may not normally consist of more than 15 members, with provision for having more than one Village/Town Defence Party if the size and population of the village or cluster of villages so require. The composition of the Party shall reflect the diversity of local population including adequate gender representation.
