Amendment of section 14

(a) for sub-section (1), the following sub-sections shall be substituted, namely:— “(1) Whoever employs any child or permits any child to work in contravention of the provisions of section 3 shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years, or with fine which shall not be less than Rs. 20,000 but which may extend to Rs. 50,000, or with both: Provided that the parents or guardians of such children shall not be punished unless they permit such child for commercial purposes in contravention of the provisions of section 3. (IA) Whoever employs any adolescent or permits any adolescent to work in contravention of the provisions of section 3A shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years or with fine which shall not be less than Rs. 20,000 but which may extend to Rs. 50,000, or with both: Provided that the parents or guardians of such adolescent shall not be punished unless they permit such adolescent to work in contravention of the provisions of section 3A. (1B) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (1A) the parents or guardians of any child or adolescent referred to in section 3 or section 3A, shall not be liable for punishment, in case of the first offence.”. (b) for sub-section (2), the following sub-sections shall be substituted, namely:— “(2) Whoever, having been convicted of an offence under section 3 or section 3A commits a like offence afterwards, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to three years. (2A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (2), the parents or guardian having been convicted of an offence under section 3 or section 3A, commits a like offence afterwards, he shall be punishable with a fine which may extend to Rs. 10,000.”. (c) clauses (a), (b) and (c) of sub-section (3) shall be omitted.