THE Indore administration recently ordered a complete ban on begging and almsgiving from January 1, 2025.
Indore is one of the 10 cities identified under the SMILE initiative by the government of India to make the cities beggar-free. The scheme advocates the rehabilitation, counselling and sustainable development of beggars.
What is the constitutionality of the Indore administration's Order on banning begging in the city? Can banning an act that is done for survival align with principles of justice, equality and dignity enshrined in the Indian Constitution?
Understanding Indore’s begging and almsgiving ban
In a surprising move, the Indore administration recently ordered a complete ban on begging and almsgiving in the city from January 1, 2025. In this Order, it is mentioned that people begging or giving alms to beggars will attract strict action. First information reports (FIRs) will be filed against them and fines will also be imposed on them.
This move comes under the broader measure of the Union government’s SMILE initiative, which aims to make 10 Indian cities beggar-free, Indore being one of them.
The administration claims that it is a collective action against begging gangs and syndicates that operate in the city. The district magistrate of Indore said that the police have taken action against these gangs since the beginning of last year, in some cases the gang members were found to be earning more than ₹75,000 per week. It also says that it is promoting rehabilitation programmes for those involved in these activities.
