728. Salutes and compliments. [§ 12, Act V, 1861].
- The following are the orders on the subject of salutes, and of guards and sentries paying compliments:-(i)Non-gazetted officers shall invariably salute Government officers, both civil and military, whom they can recognise. They shall also salute superior police officers of their own and of other districts when in uniform.Note. - The terra "Government officer" includes all commissioned military officers and gazetted civil officers serving under the Crown not below the rank of Sub-Deputy Collector.(ii)Guards will not turn out after "retreat" or before "reveille" except at tattoo on the approach of an armed party, in cases of an alarm, or to receive grand or visiting rounds, nor will they during this period pay any compliments, except to grand rounds to whom they will present arms.(iii)Sentries mounted over the residence or temporary quarters of His Excellency the Governor, the Hon'ble Ministers or the Inspector-General shall present arms to those officers alone. When officers of lower rank pass their posts they shall stand to attention, slope arms and salute.(iv)Except as provided in clause (ii) and (iii) guards shall turn out and present arms, sound the general salute when there is a bugler attached to the guard, and sentries shall present arms as often as His Excellency the Governor, the Hon'ble Ministers, the Inspector-General, or a General Officer of the Army may pass their post.(v)Except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), guards shall turn out and present arms once during the day, and sentries shall present arms on all occasions when any Secretary to Government, the Commissioner, Deputy Inspector-General, District Judge, District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, Civil Surgeon, Commandant, Eastern Frontier Rifles, or the Military Officer Commanding the station passes. In the case of other Government officers, civil and military, the men not under arms shall stand to attention, and sentries shall slope arms and salute.(vi)Guards shall fall in and slope arms when an Assistant or Deputy Superintendent passes their post and sentries shall slope arms and salute.(vii)When an Inspector, Sergeant or Sub-Inspector passes him, a sentry shall come to attention.(viii)When the officer entitled to a salute passes in rear of a guard, the officer in command shall cause his men to fall in and slope arms facing their proper front. No bugle is to be sounded.(ix)If such officer passes when one guard is in the course of relieving another, both guards shall salute, receiving the command from the senior officer present with them.(x)Guards shall fall in and stand at the slope at all times when armed parties (including the Auxiliary and Territorial Forces) approach their posts.(xi)When an officer entitled to the compliment of "present arms" once during the day, passes a guard a second time on the same day, the men shall fall in and slope arms. The sentry shall present arms.(xii)Sentries shall present arms and guards will stand at attention whenever a funeral party, civil or military, passes their posts.(xiii)When an officer of the Army or of the Auxiliary or Territorial Forces in uniform passes a guard, the men shall stand at attention without falling in. Armed sentries shall stand at attention, slope arms and salute.(xiv)Police officers of air ranks when in uniform shall salute officers of the Army, Navy or Air Force in uniform in accordance with the usual practices between relative ranks.(xv)Officers on beat duty shall salute all Government officers as well as all their superior officers. When lining the streets on State occasions or for a public arrival, etc., no one shall salute, but each man shall come to attention.(xvi)When a lathi is carried, the salute shall be given by bringing it to the slope and bringing the right hand across as with muskets.(xvii)Non-gazetted officers on horseback shall salute superior officers, by placing the right hand on the bridle hand and then dropping it smartly to its full extent outside the right thigh.(xviii)Non-gazetted officers on bicycles shall salute by turning their heads smartly in the direction of the officer saluted.(xix)Salutes by police officers shall be returned by the senior officer present.(xx)All police officers in uniform, other than those engaged on traffic duty, shall salute uncased colours when passing them. Officers on traffic duty are not required to pay compliments of any kind, but they shall stand to attention when troops are marching past them.(xxi)A police officer in uniform on entering a Court shall salute the presiding officer with his head-dress on in the approved manner. He will remove his head-dress (provided it is a head-dress other than a pagri) while giving evidence and replace it before saluting the Court on retiring.Note. - (i) In large towns Superintendents should make such arrangements as will give officers employed on town duties opportunities of becoming acquainted with the liveries of coachmen and chauffeurs and the conveyances of an officials whom they may be directed to salute.(ii)All police officers should bear in mind that where there is any doubt as to the rank or position of persons or officials they may meet, or who may pass them no harm can be done by saluting, whereas neglect to do so may be mistaken for discourtesy or personal slight and may engender ill-feeling.
