Begging In Delhi No More A Criminal Offence, Says High Court ndtv.com

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today decriminalised begging in the national capital, saying provisions penalising the act were unconstitutional and deserved to be struck down.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the inevitable consequence of this decision would be that prosecution under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act against persons alleged to have committed the offence of begging would be liable to be struck down.

The court said the Delhi government is at liberty to bring in alternative legislation to curb any racket of forced begging after undertaking an empirical examination on the sociological and economic aspect of the matter.