The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday directed the State government to submit report on how the police at the grassroots level are taking action in arresting persons for indulging in begging, which is prohibited as per the Karnataka Prohibition of Beggary Act, 1975.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi issued the directions while hearing a PIL petition, filed in 2020 by Letszkit Foundation, Bengaluru, which had raised the issue of forcing children to sell flowers and toys on streets.
The Bench issued the direction after the State government admitted that there was not enough awareness among the police at the grassroots level on Section 11 of the Act, which states that any police officer who finds a person other than a child contravening the provisions of Section 3 shall arrest such person and inform him about the grounds for such arrest and remove him immediately to the nearest receiving centre.
The government on Wednesday told the court that the Director General and Inspector General of Police in December 2022, and January 2023, issued communication to the regional police heads, the heads of police commissionerates, and the superintendents of police of the districts on creating awareness.
Noticing that the State Police Chief has now given instruction to the staff to take action under Section 11, the Bench directed the government to submit report on how the police at grassroots level is acting on such instruction.
Beggary cess
Meanwhile, the government told the Bench that it has rejected the request made by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike to retain a portion of the beggary cess for utilising the amount for activities like upliftment of the weaker section.
Taking note of the government’s rejection of BBMP’s request, the Bench directed the BBMP to transfer any remaining portion of beggary cess to the Central Relief Committee, which manages the welfare activities of beggars who were in relief centres across the State.
