Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): At least six important departments of the state government are exploring the possibilities to do away with the provisions under which currently harsh punishment like imprisonment is sentenced for minor offences.
Instead of harsh punishment provisions, the authorities are mulling over slapping fines on the offenders. However, a person might end up paying a higher penalty for spitting on the walls of public property.
The objective behind the move is to ensure that people committing minor offences do not have to undergo punishment like jail term and face the court proceedings. The industry department is coordinating with six identified departments in this regard.
The six departments which are considering replacing harsher punishments include urban administration, energy, excise, labour, and the department of farms and societies, among others.
An official of the industry department said that the state government wants to follow the footsteps of the Central government which has done away with unreasonable and outdated laws enacted during the colonial era. Ways are being explored to bring amendments in provisions associated with harsh punishment for small offences, the official added.
In the initial phase, amendments will be brought in identifying five to six departments and later similar amendments will be introduced in provisions of other departments as per the need.
An officer of the urban administration department said that amendments are being done in Nagar Palika Act 1961 and Municipal Corporation Act 1956 to decriminalise the provisions related to minor offences. However, serious offences will not be touched and no changes will be brought in them, he added.
Spitting on walls may attract higher penalty
UAD is also mulling over increasing the penalty for offences related to defacement and damage to public property. For instance, the fine on spitting the walls of public property is being increased to Rs 500. Similarly, damaging the drain might attract a fine up to Rs 1000. In all, there are at least 29 sections under the Municipality and Municipal Corporation Act that will see higher penalties.
