Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Beggary Act, 1960

No: 40 Dated: Dec, 06 1960

THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR PREVENTION OF BEGGARY ACT, 1960

(Act No. XL of 1960)

An Act for preventing beggary and making beggars good citizens.

Be it enacted by the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature in the Eleventh Year of the Republic of India as follows :––

1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Beggary Act, 1960.

(2) It shall extend to the whole of the State of Jammu and Kashmir any particular area as specified by the Government.

(3) It shall come into force in such area or areas and on such date or dales as the Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf, in the Government Gazette.

2. Definitions. - In this Act unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context-

(a) "begging" means-

(i) soliciting alms in a public place, or in or about a temple, mosque or other place of public worship, whether or not under any pretence;

(ii) entering on any private premises for the purpose of soliciting alms;

(iii) Exposing or exhibiting with the object of obtaining or extorting alms, any sore, wound, injury, deformity or disease whether of human being or an animal;

(iv) having no visible means of subsistence and wandering about to remaining in any public place or in a temple, mosque or other place of public worship in such condition or manner as make it like that the person doing so exists by soliciting alms;

(v) allowing himself to be used as an exhibit for the purpose of soliciting alms, but does not include soliciting money or fee or gifts for a purpose authorised by any law or authorised in the prescribed manner by the District Magistrate;

(b) "Sick Home" means a home certified by the Government or by any subordinate authority empowered by it in this behalf to be a fit place for the reception of beggars suffering from leprosy or any other infectious or contagious disease.

(c) "Court" means the Court of a [Judicial Magistrate] 1st Class;

(d) "Police Officer" means a Police Officer not below the rank of a Sub-Inspector of Police;

(e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act:

(f) "public place" means any highway, public park or garden and any public bridge, road, lane, foot-way, square, court, alley or passage;

(g) "Beggar's home" means a home notified by the Government as suitable for the reception of beggars above the age of 14 years;

(h) "Children's home" means a place notified by the Government as suitable for the reception of beggars below the age of 14 years and not suffering from any infectious or contagious disease.