New Delhi: The Supreme court, while hearing a petition to remove begging from the category of crime, has asked the state governments to reply within three weeks, as well as asking the states to suggest suggestions to end the beggars. In fact, recently a petition was filed by Vishal Pathak, a resident of Meerut, in which he claimed that the sections making begging an offense are a violation of constitutional rights.

The petition states that "making begging a crime puts people in a position to make an inappropriate choice between committing a crime or not starving anyone". Now, hearing this petition, the Supreme Court has given three weeks' time to the state governments. In these three weeks, the state governments will have to give their feedback, as well as suggestions on what should be done to end those begging from the state.

The petition states that the provisions of the Bombay Prevention of Beggary Act, 1959, which make begging a category of crime, are not constitutionally justified. The act empowers the police to arrest anyone begging, or performers on the streets, or those who claim luck on the sidewalk. While referring to the 2011 census in the petition filed in the Supreme court, it has been said that the total number of beggars in India is 4,13,670. Whereas this figure has increased since the last census.

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