The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1975
The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1975
This legislation abolishes the bonded labor system targeting Scheduled Tribes in the Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Cannanore districts of Kerala. It prohibits creditors from compelling individuals or their families to perform unpaid or underpaid labor in exchange for cash or advance payments. All past labor obligations are legally extinguished, and courts are barred from enforcing bonded labor claims. Revenue officers are empowered to determine and scale down outstanding debts, calculate past labor value, set low repayment installments, and facilitate state aid for repayment. Violations carry criminal penalties, including imprisonment and fines, ensuring fundamental freedom and protecting vulnerable tribal communities from economic exploitation.
- 0. Preamble
- 1. Short title and extent.─(1) This Act may be called the Bonded Labour System (Abolition)
- 2. Bonded labour system defined.─ “Bonded labour system" consists in the payment of cash
- 3. Constitution of India.
- 4. Obligation to perform labour or personal service to be deemed extinguished.─(1)
- 5. Determination of past debts.─(1) If the cash paid or the value of the thing given under the
- 6. Appeal.─(1) Any person aggrieved by an order of the Revenue Divisional Officer under
- 7. Legal practitioner not to appear before Revenue Divisional Officer and District
- 8. Revenue Divisional Officer and District Collector to have certain powers of civil
- 9. Orders under sections 5 and 6 to be deemed to be decrees of civil courts.─(1) Every order
- 10. Government to assist debtor in repayment of debt.─The Government may, subject to
- 11. Bar of jurisdiction of civil courts.─No civil court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any
- 12. Collector is empowered by this Act to decide, and no injunction shall be granted by any court in respect of any action taken or to be taken by them in pursuance of any power conferred by this Act.
- 13. Officer within whose jurisdiction the debtor ordinarily resides, to be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
- 14. Offences under the Act to be cognizable.─Notwithstanding anything contained in the
- 15. Jurisdiction of courts.─ No court inferior to that of a magistrate of the first class shall try
- 16. Creditor not to accept any payment against discharged debt.─(1) No creditor shall
- 17. Power to make rules.─(1) The Government may, by notification in the Gazette, make
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