Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1975

No: 29 Dated: Oct, 11 1975

THE BONDED LABOUR SYSTEM (ABOLITION) ACT, 1975

(Act 29 of 1975)

    An Act to provide for the abolition of the bonded labour system prevalent in the districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram and Cannanore in the State ‘of Kerala

    Preamble—WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the abolition of the bonded labour system prevalent in the districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram and Cannanore in the State of Kerala,

BE it enacted in the Twenty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows.—

1 Short title and extent.—(1) This Act may be called the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1975.

(2) It extends to the whole of the districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram and Cannanore in the State of Kerala.

2 Bonded labour system defined.—”Bonded labour system" consists in the payment of cash called vallurkavu panam or nilpupanam or by whatever name it may locally be known or the payment in kind, by one person (hereinafter called the creditor) to a person belonging to a Scheduled Tribe (hereinafter called the debtor), whether evidenced by writing or otherwise, on any one or both of the following terms. namely :—

(a) that in consideration of the payment of cash or the payment in kind made by the creditor to the debtor, the debtor shall, by himself or through members of his family, render labour or personal service to the creditor for a specified period, either Without wages or on payment of nominal wages;

(b) that on failure to render the labour or personal service referred to in clause (a), the debtor shall be bound to, repay the cash or the value of the thing received by him and vacate the hut, if any, occupied by him and Situated in the land belonging to the creditor.

Explanation:- The expression ”Scheduled Tribe” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Constitution of India.

3. Bonded labour system abolished:- (1) On and from the date of commencement of this Act,—

(a) the bonded labour system shall stand abolished; and

(b) no person shall make any payment of cash or any payment in kind under the bonded labour system.

(2) If, on or after the date of commencement of this Act, any cash is paid or any payment in kind 15 made under the bonded labour system, the cash paid or the value of the thing given shall not be recoverable by suit or other proceedings in any court, and the debtor or any member of his family shall not be bound or compelled to render any labour or personal serVice by reason of such payment