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Section 151 of the Code is contained in Chapter-XI of the Code, which deals with "Preventive Action by the Police". Section 149 of the Code empowers the police to interpose for the purpose of preventing and imposes a duty on the police to prevent a commission of any cognizable offence. Section 150 of the Code further enjoins a police officer, who receives any information with regard to a design to commit any cognizable offence, to communicate such information to the police officer, to whom, he is subordinate, and to any other officer whose duty it is to prevent and to take cognizance of the commission of any such offence.

Section 151 of the Code is as under:-

151. Arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences:
(1) A police officer knowing of a design to commit any cognizable offence may arrest, without orders from a Magistrate and without a warrant, the person so designing, if it appears to such officer that the commission of the offence cannot be otherwise prevented.
(2) No person arrested under sub- section (1) shall be detained in custody for a period exceeding twenty- four hours from the time of his arrest unless his further detention is required or authorised under any other provisions of this Code or of any other law for the time being in force. (Emphasis added).
merely require that "an impression has to be formed" in the mind of the police officer that a person has a design for committing a cognizable offence. Hence, his preventive arrest has become necessary. Therefore, the learned counsel for the petitioner is unjustified in claiming that not only "a satisfaction has to be reached", but more importantly, it needs to be recorded and communicated to the superior officers.
Interestingly, Section 150 of the Code enjoins a police officer, who receives any information with regard to a design to commit any cognizable offence, to communicate the said information both to his superior officers, and to his junior officers, who would be in a position to prevent the commission of such an offence. But it is merely a communication "of information". Prima facie, there is no requirement that the "impression that a preventive action needs to be taken", necessarily has to be communicated to the superior officer.
Although the police may be justified in invoking its power under Section 151 of the Code, it is imperative for the police to realise the consequences of its acts. For, at times, even though the actions of the police may be legally justified, nonetheless, the actions may have certain serious consequences in the society at large. For, people may be convinced that the police is dancing to the tunes of the powers that be, that the police has started unleashing a reign of terror, and is committing shocking atrocities on the people. Such an impression is bound to undermine the respect for the authorities, is bound to dilute the faith of the people in the rule of law, thereby threatening the entire political edifice, and thereby threatening the edifices of democracy in the country. Hence, it is essential that before exercising a power, even legitimately, a serious thought should be given especially with regard to the method of exercise of the power. Needlesstosay, the more vast a power, the more carefully and sparingly it should be used. Therefore, the power to prevent a person from carrying out his designs to commit a cognizable offence should be exercised in exceptional cases.