Bom.

LXXI of

1948.

2 of 2016.

MAHARASHTRA ACT No. I OF 2026

(First published, after having received the assent of the Governor in the

“Maharashtra Government Gazette”, on the 21st January 2026. )

An Act further to amend the Maharashtra Prevention of Begging Act.

WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Maharashtra Prevention

of Begging Act for the purposes hereinafter appearing; it is hereby enacted in

the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows :—

1. This Act may be called the Maharashtra Prevention of Begging

(Amendment) Act, 2025.

2. In section 2 of the Maharashtra Prevention of Begging Act (hereinafter

referred to as “the principal Act”), in sub-section (1),—

(a) in clause (iv), for the words and figures “the Bombay Children

Act, 1948” the words, brackets and figures “the Juvenile Justice (Care and

Protection of Children) Act, 2015” shall be substituted;

X of

1960.

Short title.

Amendment

of section 2 of

X of 1960.

भााग आठ—१-१

RNI No. MAHENG /2009/35528

महाारााष्ट्र� शाासन रााजपत्र

असाधाारण भााग आठ

वर्षष १२, अंक १]

बुुधवाार, जानेवारी २१, २०२६ / माघ १, शकेे १९४७

]पृष्ठे 3, किं�ंमत : रुपयेे २७.००

असाधाारण क्रमांं�क १

प्रााधि�कृृत प्रकााशन

महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानमंडळााचेे अधि�नि�य

म व रााज्यपाालांं�नी प्रख्यापि�त केलेले अध्यादेेश व केलेले

वि�नि�य

म आणि� वि�धि� व न्याय वि�भाागाकडून आलेली वि�धेेयकेे (इंंग्रजी अनुवाद).

In pursuance of clause (3) of article 348 of the Constitution of India, the following translation

in English of the Maharashtra Prevention of Begging (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Mah. Act No. I of

2026), is hereby published under the authority of the Governor.

By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra,

SATISH WAGHOLE,

Secretary (Legislation) to Government,

Law and Judiciary Department.

————————

(१)

X of

1960.

महाारााष्ट्र शाासन रााजपत्र असाधाारण भााग आठ, जानेवारी २१, २०२६/माघ १, शकेे १९४७

(b) after clause (iv), the following clause shall be inserted, namely :-

“(iv-a) “Child Welfare Committee” means the Child Welfare

Committee constituted under section 27 of the Juvenile Justice (Care

and Protection of Children) Act, 2015;” ;

3. In section 3 of the principal Act, the words “a Juvenile Court” shall be

deleted.

4. In section 4 of the principal Act, in sub-section (3), for the words and

figures “section 61 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898” the words and figures

“section 58 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023” shall be

substituted.

5. In section 5 of the principal Act, sub-section (9) shall be deleted.

6. In section 8 of the principal Act, in sub-section (4), for the words and figures

“section 488 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898” the words and figures

“section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023” shall be

substituted.

7. In section 9 of the principal Act,-

(1) in sub-section (2),-

(a) for the portion beginning with the words “to a Juvenile

Court” and ending with the words “of that section”, the following

portion shall be substituted, namely :-

“to the Child Welfare Committee which shall deal with the Child

as per the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of

Children) Act, 2015:”;

(b) in the proviso, the words “a contagious leper or” shall be

deleted;

(2) in sub-section (3), for the words and figures “section 61 of the Code

of Criminal Procedure, 1898” the words and figures “section 58 of the

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023” shall be substituted.

8. In section 26 of the principal Act,-

(a) in the marginal note, the words “leprosy patients and” shall be

deleted;

(b) in sub-section (1), the words “or a leper”, at both the places where

they occur, and the words “or leper asylum” shall be deleted;

(d) for sub-section (3), the following sub-section shall be substituted,

namely:-

“(3) The provisions of section 18 of the Mental Healthcare Act,

2017 shall apply to every beggar confined in a mental hospital under

sub-section (1) after the expiration of the period for which he was

ordered to be detained; and the time during which a beggar is confined

in a mental hospital under that sub-section shall be reckoned as part

of the period for which he may have been ordered by the Court to be

detained:

2 of 2016.

Amendment

of section 3 of

X of 1960.

Amendment

of section 4 of

X of 1960.

V of

1898.

46 of

2023.

Amendment

of section 5 of

X of 1960.

Amendment

of section 8 of

X of 1960.

V of

1898.

46 of

2023.

Amendment

of section 9 of

X of 1960.

2 of 2016.

V of 1898.

46 of 2023.

Amendment

of section

26 of X

1960.

10 of

2017.

Provided that, where the removal of a beggar due to unsoundness

of mind is immediately necessary, it shall be open to the authorities of

the Institution in which the beggar is detained to apply to a Court having

jurisdiction under said Act, for an immediate order of committal to a

mental hospital until such time as the order of the State Government can

be obtained in the matter.”.

9. In section 30 of the principal Act,-

(a) in sub-section (2), for the words and figures “section 6B of the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1890” the words and figures “section

35 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960” shall be substituted;

(b) in sub-section (3), for the words and figures “section 15 of the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1890” the words and figures “section

38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960” shall be substituted;

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1890” the words and figures

“section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960” shall be

substituted.

10. In section 32 of the principal Act, for the words “the Indian Penal

Code” the words and figures “the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023” shall

be substitued.

11. In section 33 of the principal Act, for the words and figures “the Code of

Criminal Procedure, 1898” the words and figures “the Bharatiya Nagarik

Suraksha Sanhita, 2023” shall be substituted.

12. In section 34 of the principal Act, for the words and figures “the Code of

Criminal Procedure, 1898” the words and figures “the Bharatiya Nagarik

Suraksha Sanhita, 2023” shall be substituted.

Amendment

of section 30

of X of 1960.

XI of 1890.

59 of 1960.

XI of 1890.

59 of 1960.

Amendment

of section 32

of X of 1960.

Amendment

of section

33 of X of

1960.

V of 1898.

46 of 2023.

Amendment

of section 34

of X of 1960.

V of 1898.

46 of 2023.

XI of 1890.

59 of 1960.

45 of 1860.

45 of 2023.

ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR,

RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD,

MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS,

21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.