Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955
Section 4 :
Punishment for enforcing social disabilities :
Whoever on the ground of untouchability enforces against any person any disability with regard to
(i) access to any shop, public restaurant, hotel or place of public entertainment; or
(ii) the use of any utensils, and other articles kept in any public restaurant, hotel, dharmshala, sarai or musafirkhana for the use of the general public or 1.[any section thereof]; or
(iii) the practice of any profession or the carrying on of any occupation, trade or business 2.[or employment in any job]; or
(iv) the use of, or access to, any river, stream, spring, well, tank, cistern, water-tap or other watering place, or any bathing ghat, burial or cremation ground, any sanitary convenience, any road, or passage, or any other place of public resort which other members of the public or 1.[any section thereof] have a right to use or have assess to; or
(v) the use of, or access to, any place used for a charitable or a public purpose maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of the general public, or 1.[any section thereof]; or
(vi) the enjoyment of any benefit under a charitable trust created for the benefit of the general public or 1.[any section thereof]; or
(vii) the use of, or access to, any public conveyance; or
(viii) the construction, acquisition, or occupation of any residential premises in any locality, whatsoever; or
(ix) the use of any dharmshala, sarai or musafirkhana which is open to the general public, or to 1.[any section thereof]; or
(x) the observance of any social or religious custom, usage or ceremony or 3.[taking part in, or taking out, any religious, social or cultural procession]; or
(xi) the use of jewellery and finery,
4.[shall be publishable with imprisonment for a term of not less than one month and not more than six months and also with fine which shall be not less than one hundred rupees and not more than five hundred rupees.]
2.[Explanation :
For the purposes of this section, enforcement of any disability includes any discrimination on the ground of untouchability.]
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1. Substituted for “persons professing the same religion, or belonging to the same religious denomination or any section thereof,f as such person” by Act 106 of 1976, Section 6, (w.e.f. 19.11.1976).
2. Inserted by Act 106 of 1976, Section 6 (w.e.f. 19.11.1976).
3. Substituted for “taking part in any religious procession” by Act 106 of 1976, Section 6, (w.e.f. 19.11.1976).
4. Substituted for “shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both” by Act 106 of 1976, Section 6, (w.e.f. 19.11.1976).
