Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955
Section 7 :
Punishment for other offences arising out of untouchability :
(1) Whoever
(a) prevents any person from exercising any right accruing to him by reason of the abolition of untouchability under article 17 of the Constitution; or
(b) molests, injures, annoys, obstructs or causes or attempts to cause obstruction to any person in the exercise of any such right or molests, injures, annoys or boycotts any person by reason of his having exercised any such right; or
(c) by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, incites or encourages any person or the public generally to practice untouchability in any form whatsoever; 1.[or]
1.[(d) insults or attempts to insult, on the ground of untouchability, a member of a Scheduled Caste,]
2.[shall be punishable 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.]
3.[Explanation I] :
A person shall be deemed to boycott another person who
(a) refuses to let to such other person or refuses to permit such other person, to use or occupy any house or land or refuses to deal with, work for hire for, or do business with, such other person or to render to him or receive from him any customary service, or refuses to do any of the said things on the terms on which such things would be commonly done in the ordinary course of business; or
(b) abstains from such social, professional or business relations as he would ordinarily maintain with such other person.
1.[Explanation II :
For the purposes of clause (c), a person shall be deemed to incite or encourage the practice of untouchability
(i) if he, directly or indirectly, preaches untouchability or its practice in any form; or
(ii) if he justifies, whether on historical, philosophical or religious grounds or on the ground of any tradition of the caste system or on any other ground, the practice of untouchability in any form.]
1.[(1-A) Whoever commits any offence against the person or property of any individual as a reprisal or revenge for his having exercised any right accruing to him by reason of the abolition of untouchability under article 17 of the Constitution, shall, where the offence is punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding two years, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than two years and also with fine.]
(2) Whoever
(i) denies to any person belonging to his community or any section thereof any right or privilege to which such person would be entitled as a member of such community or section, or
(ii) takes any part in the ex-communication of such person, on the ground that such person has refused to practice untouchability or that such person has done any act in furtherance of the objects of this Act, that such person has done any act in furtherance of the objects of this Act,
2.[shall be punishable 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.]
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1. Inserted by Act 106 of 1976, Section 9 (w.e.f. 19.11.1976).
2. 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 9, (w.e.f. 19.11.1976).
3. The Existing Explanation renumbered as Explanation I by Act 106 of 1976, Section 9 (w.e.f. 19.11.1976).
