Vidhi Codex

Andhra Pradesh Habitual Offenders Act, 1962

Andhra Pradesh Habitual Offenders Act, 1962

General196223 sections5 chapters

The Act regulates people who repeatedly commit serious crimes, defining a habitual offender as someone with at least three specific convictions within a five-year period. To monitor these individuals, the law requires authorities to register them, collect biometric data, and track their movements or residency changes. Beyond police surveillance, the state is empowered to restrict their activities to certain areas or place them in corrective settlements. This law matters because it balances public safety with rehabilitation, transforming career criminals into law-abiding citizens through structured supervision, corrective training, and vocational discipline instead of relying on imprisonment.

Start reading →Read full ActSections

Chapter I PRELIMINARY →

  1. 1Short title, extent and commencement
  2. 2Definitions

Chapter II REGISTRATION OF HABITUAL OFFENDERS AND RESTRICTION OF THEIR MOVEMENTS →

  1. 3Power of Government to direct registration of habitual offenders
  2. 4Power of the District Collector to register habitual offenders
  3. 5Custody of register and alterations herein
  4. 6Power to take finger and palm impressions foot-prints and photographs at any time
  5. 7Registered offenders to notify change of residence and to report themselves
  6. 8Action to be taken when registered offender changes his ordinary residence from one district to another within or without the State
  7. 9Duration of registration and re-registration of habitual offenders
  8. 10Right to make representations against registration, re-registration, etc.
  9. 11Power to restrict movements of registered offenders
  10. 12Power to cancel or alter such restrictions

Chapter III CORRECTIVE TRAINING OF HABITUAL OFFENDERS →

  1. 13Power to establish and maintain corrective settlements and to certify private institutions as corrective settlements
  2. 14Power to direct habitual offenders to receive corrective training
  3. 15Power to discharge or transfer persons from corrective settlements
  4. 16Power to subject voluntary residents in corrective settlements to restrictions and penalties

Chapter IV PENALTIES AND PROCEDURE →

  1. 17Penalty for failure to comply with certain provisions of the Act
  2. 18Arrest of habitual offenders found outside the restriction area or corrective settlement

Chapter V MISCELLANEOUS →

  1. 19Bar of Jurisdiction
  2. 20Bar of legal proceeding
  3. 21Power to delegate
  4. 22Power to make rule
  5. 23Repeals and savings

PDF: pending for this language.