With around 55,000 men and women -- including those in clerical and non-policing jobs -- Delhi Police is the largest metropolitan force in the country. Mumbai has half, while Calcutta, Chennai and Bangalore each have approximately one-fourth the number of police employed in the Capital.

The population of Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai are nearly the same with more than 10 million people in each of these cities. Bangalore's population is yet to touch the 10 million mark.

The crime rate (read the number of IPC cases registered) in Delhi and Mumbai are not strikingly different, although Calcutta and Chennai register a much lower rate.

According to statistics available with the National Crime Records Bureau, the crime rate in Mumbai was much higher than in Delhi till 1992. Thereafter the balance tipped suddenly and crime in Delhi has been on the upswing.

Delhi's land area (2,500 sq km) is five times that of Mumbai while Calcutta, Chennai and Bangalore are much smaller.

Therefore, the only factors in support of the jumbo force in Delhi and inspire demands for more personnel every time there is a bomb blast and a spate of robberies, are geographical and criminal.

The primary argument of successive Delhi Police Commissioners seeking additional manpower has been that more than 30,000 Delhi policemen are constantly deployed on VIP duty or are supervising the innumerable rallies and demonstrations in the Capital.

The remaining 20,000 do the actual policing work: manning 106 police stations and tackling whatsoever (crime) happens to 12 million Delhiites. This also includes the 2,000 odd traffic policemen, half of whom are on duty at any given time.

Persistent demands by the Delhi Police finally resulted in the sanction of 17 new police stations and an additional 2,000 constables by the Union Home Ministry last year.

The then police commissioners T.R. Kakkar was quick to point out that this decision would bring a modicum of relief, but fell far short of the actual requirement.

His successor V.N. Singh, however, maintains a stoic silence on the issue. He says that he will abide by whatever the Home Ministry decides. But his silences belies the sentiments of his colleagues who are opposed to any additional men in the force at this stage.

``If we have more personnel, we will have to arrange the housing, rations and uniforms. Housing is already a problem now, and we don't want it to get worse,'' says a senior police officer.

The solution he and his colleagues suggest is that the Delhi policemen on VIP duty should be replaced with either paramilitary forces or an exclusive force which specialises in such work. And less policemen should be appointed as personal assistants.

``Mumbai may have lesser policemen than Delhi, but almost all are involved in basic policing unlike here. Secondly, because of the geographical location (surrounded by water) and the land area, it is easier to focus on crime prevention there. Delhi, on the other hand, has to bear the brunt of criminals even in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh,'' says another senior officer.

For the time being, the Delhi Police have started pulling out extra personnel working as assistants in various capacities with officers in the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and above. An order in this regard has already been issued.

It was found that several Deputy Commissioners of Police, though entitled to only four persons, had 10 to 12 constables and others attached to them in various capacities.

Similarly, ACPs are entitled to only two persons. But several of them were found to be using the services of at least eight persons.

The constables who have been withdrawn from such duty have been posted to various police stations in the Capital with immediate effect.