Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 15: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by practicing lawyer Advocate Parimoksh Seth seeking directions to the respondents to implement the provisions of the Prevention of Beggary Act, 1960 and Prevention of Beggary Rules in the State in order to stop the menace of organized begging, Division Bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Hasnain Massodi has granted four weeks time to the State for filing status report.
In the PIL, it has been submitted that State in the year 1960 enacted a legislation known as J&K Prevention of Beggary Act, for prevention of begging and also for creating avenues for beggars as good citizens.
“Prevention of begging as per the provisions of the J&K Prevention of Beggary Act, 1960 encompasses soliciting alms in public places or in or around religious places or in private premises and covers number of institutions. The legislation makes begging as an offence and police is authorized to arrest a person indulging in begging without warrants”, Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi appearing for the petitioner said.
“Section 5 envisages a provision for summary inquiry in respect of persons found begging and their detention. The Act also provides for provisions for creation of beggar’s home, public sick home, children home for such beggars and other social avenues for rehabilitation of beggars in addition to preventing the same by enforcing the provisions of the Act”, the counsel for the petitioner said, adding “after lapse of more than 50 years, J&K has not implemented the Act”.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel