Vidhi Codex

The Punjab Borstal Act, 1926

The Punjab Borstal Act, 1926

General192629 sections

The Punjab Borstal Act, 1926 establishes corrective institutions for young male offenders under twenty-one years of age instead of sending them to standard adult prisons. The law aims to reform youthful convicts and individuals failing to provide security for good behaviour through industrial training, moral guidance, and disciplined instruction. By substituting harsh penal sentences with structured rehabilitation for terms ranging between two and seven years, the statute prevents young individuals from turning into habitual criminals through exposure to hardened adult convicts. For ordinary citizens and families, it offers a legal mechanism focused on reformative justice and early reintegration into society rather than pure retribution.

Start reading →Read full ActSections
  1. 0. Preamble
  2. 1. Short title, extent and commencement
  3. 2. Definitions
  4. 3. Establishment of Borstal Institutions
  5. 4. Appointment of Director of Borstal Institutions, officers and visiting committees
  6. 5. Powers of courts to pass a sentence of detention in a Borstal Institution in the case of a convict under twenty-one years of age in lieu of transportation or rigorous imprisonment
  7. 7. Detention of persons confined in the Lahore Borstal Jail
  8. 8. Power of Superintendent to present prisoner under 21 years of age before District Magistrate for detention in a Borstal
  9. 9. When action may not be taken under section 8
  10. 11. No person who has been once detained to be detained again
  11. 12. Release on furnishing security
  12. 13. Enquiry to be made regarding the age of the offender before an order of detention
  13. 14. Magistrate to give grounds of his opinion for ordering detention
  14. 15. Power to release on license
  15. 16. Absence under license to be counted towards period of detention
  16. 17. Form of license
  17. 18. Suspension and revocation of licenses
  18. 20. Incorrigibles
  19. 22. Extramural custody, control and employment of inmates
  20. 23. Penalty for introduction or removal of prohibited articles into or from Borstal Institutions and communication with inmates
  21. 25. Publication of penalties
  22. 26. Officer-in-charge of Borstal Institutions to detain persons duly committed to their custody
  23. 27. Officers-in-charge of Borstal Institutions to return orders, etc., after execution or discharge
  24. 28. Powers for officers-in-charge of Borstal Institutions to give effect to orders of Courts
  25. 29. Warrant of officers of such Courts to be sufficient authority
  26. 30. Procedure where officer-in-charge of Borstal Institution doubts the legality of order sent to him for execution
  27. 32. Application of provisions of the Prisons Act, 1894 and the Prisoners Act, 1900
  28. 33. How punishment of whipping may be inflicted on an intimate
  29. 34. Power to make rules under the Act

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