PIL seeking quashing of Prevention of Beggary Act
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 4: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Sudesh Langeh seeking quashment of Jammu & Kashmir Prevention of Beggary Act along with Jammu & Kashmir Prevention of Beggary Rules, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Tashi Rabstan today issued notices to Chief Secretary, DGP, Law and Social Welfare Departments with the direction to file objections within one week.
During the course of hearing Advocate Aparjita Jamwal appearing for the PIL submitted, “there is more to begging and beggars in India than meets the eye. Poverty is a sad reality about the country. It is a conundrum that is deep rooted and in spite of the efforts made by the Government and the Non Government Organisations (NGOs), it will take considerable time to phase out”.
“The beggars are just one of the by-products of this mess. Transgenders’ employability is still in question and many are forced to beg for a living. For about 80 per cent of the third gender community, begging or sex work continues to be the main occupation and that by treating beggars simultaneously as criminals and as those in need of help”, Advocate Aparjita said, adding “State Government has failed in its duty to reintegrate them into society, with the result that they usually end up begging again”.
“State’s policy-makers must develop a consistent and humane approach towards begging, which focuses not on penalizing but on rehabilitating them”, the counsel for the PIL further submitted.
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