The Punjab Habitual Offenders (Control and Reform) Act, 1952
The Punjab Habitual Offenders (Control and Reform) Act, 1952
This Act establishes a system for identifying and monitoring individuals who repeatedly commit serious crimes. It applies in Chandigarh and defines a “habitual offender” as someone convicted twice within five years of offenses listed in the schedule, with a combined prison sentence of more than one year. The government creates a public register of these people to track them. Once registered, authorities can frequently take fingerprints and photographs. The goal is to protect the community by keeping these dangerous individuals under watch and attempting to reform them instead of simply increasing their sentences.
- 1. Short title, extent and commencement
- 2. Definitions
- 3. Registration of habitual offenders
- 4. Restriction on registration
- 5. Procedure in making register
- 6. Charge of register
- 7. Alteration in register
- 8. Complaints of entry in register
- 9. Power to take finger impressions, photograph and footprints at any time
- 10. Registered persons to report themselves or notify place of residence
- 11. Power to restrict movements of, or settle, registered persons
- 12. Power to vary specified area or place of settlement
- 13. Verification of presence of registered persons within specified area or place of settlement
- 14. Power to place registered persons in settlements
- 15. Power to discharge or transfer persons from settlements or schools
- 16. Power to make rules
- 17. Penalties for failure to comply with terms of notice under section 5 or section 7
- 18. Penalties for breach of rules
- 19. Arrest of registered persons beyond prescribed limits
- 20. Duties to report arrival and departure
- 25. Saving of existing rules
Some statutory text is still being prepared for this language version.
PDF: pending for this language.