The central government was on Tuesday taken to task by the Delhi High Court for not amending the law to decriminalise begging and rehabilitate the beggars even after an undertaking was given by it a year ago.
The High Court said it was “most unfortunate” and a “very poor” and “hopeless” situation that an amendment of a statute like the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, which had barely 36 Sections, needed over a year for consideration by the government.
The Centre’s counsel said that it has been instructed to seek two months more for furnishing the details, which was turned down by the Bench.
‘Pending since 2009’
“This PIL is pending since 2009 and it’s such a small matter. It takes almost eight years to draft a bill,” the Bench said, adding that instead of producing a draft bill, the government was seeking more time. The court also said that an officer not below the rank of director in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, who is aware of the matter, be present before it on September 14.