. _, West BengalAct XXXVIII of. 1954 -•-- . ,:; -- -- •·.:,__ - . ~ - . . . - THE WEST BENGAL OFFENDERS (RELEASE ON . · · ', A,li):MoN:1':rlON.: A:N 1(!) f:JROBATION) ACT, 1954.
- "+ -- - ' ~ . - · - ' • • • • . - ... . - ' .. • • commence ment.
Short title; · extent and· -..
--~- _:___c_,;:_··--~- fPm;sed(by the· West Ben1a.z- Legisla,ture,] · - - . .
. . . " [Assen'!; of the Presig,ent w.i,s fir-st publislied in the Oalciit.ta Gazette, ._ Eat;r@ordinary, of the 25th November, 1954.J ·· - An ilct tq provi,de fat the release of offenders on admo,n.it·ion : · or probation.
W¥EREAS ~t,· is.· expedie:nii to proviile for the releas•a of offenders . -On · · aafu.,onition or probation and for matters - cop.ne_ctelil, tb,erewi_th ; · · _· It is h.ereby enacted in the Fiftk year of the Republic of In:di~,- by the Legis!ature of West Bengal, as follows: --
1. · (1) This Act may)e ·calle~l the vVest Bengal Offenders "{Release 0:iJ. Admonition and· P,robation.) · Act, H.l5.4. · .-(2)It extends to the whole of West Bengal.
(3) This section shall .come into force at once;' the remtiln· .ing provision~ shall come 'into~e. in. such _areas and on .. such dates as the State Government may; Toy n0tifica-1iJ.on iu the~Plfi.cial Gazettie, ap!J.!)oint. and di:fferent <ilate·s may be •., · ;:c. _ . · . :c , ·_ '_ appointed for 'dd.fforent provisions ancl £or cli:ffe;rent areas;· £ •. · -2,; In thi_s.' Act, unless there is anything repugnant in Jaterpret t s ·... · .- the subject or context, tfon. - ;_ Atari.() /the Code" mieans the Code ofCriminal Procedure, · · 1!898 .. ·. " · ·. 1898 • · . .. . . · . ' .r~ -• . - . -- .· - ' -"; . '-~. ·- -l. () "prescribed" means prescribed. by rules·· made'·under k this Act; ..
: - :(c). "supervision _ order'' means a supervson order· : ·=-. passed.under sub-section (#) of section 4, whethe!
· - or not . v:arie<f under section 6 ; ~ · _:
t, . . . (d) :expres.sions. 11sed.' in: this . Act but not otherwise .f '.< _-'.~: · ·• ·· defined shall have th¢ same · meaning as- in tae• ., · . Doo:e,: . . . . .
I • --•a. ' .• [': .~ .. · · . ~:- _ -~~ . .Any Ootiirt w.hich :c0nvicts an-offender of an ofr,mce Power off. · '. _A'.6i x£~v. i:t:nder. se'c%10n: q79_ or secti0n 380 of the Jndian. Penal Code or Court to , .· · · ·.ofi:soo.·· ·.· ,0£ .any ·0fl}en,c..e-un:cl.er-any other sectiton of tb:at Gode :0r .'muler release ..
r ay other la for the time being 'in £or:ce 1>1mishab1e with ~:::t;s ' imp:ris!!)nment ffil' not 'niorK than.-· two-. years, ;may, if no after I, - ·previous· conviction is p;rovecl against' him, and if it is of admoni -±224s2.292%% "Ass:ct.±.3"43%: 2%.
f. · . <rei~~Sl;l hiID; afte:r: due admonition. instead of_ sen.tencing him -.• tony punishment... · · ·· ·
1.· ·,,// ·. · · . ·. . : . 0; ···prlc~Ifldian, ·annp~lisb, 3d. . .
}. Jue"g, '€4,%.aa.,es.9.s .he.s7#,9rs5,9.< 9 10.7.s, 2,K 73sV ,.·,·. · · - · ffi · - - '"- ..~ ~- 2 The West Bengal Offenders- (Release oo Admemition · and P?·obcition) Act, 1954,·.. · · [West Ben. Acf . . (.Section 1:,) _ . ..
Power of 4, (1j Any Court' which '' sentences' an'offender to·~~cfe'; to imp1·isonme:at (not being imprisonment 'in default of payment certa,in o:f :fine) '£or a tenh not exceeding· sis: :months· for 'an o:ffenee offenders ·.not punishable ith death or transportation for life, may, • sentencefl if n previous. · convictiorl:' is proved against him,.· to terms of a'.D.cl i:f it is · of' opinion that ha;vin□• · tegarcl to his imprison- . h · . o < • • mentof' age,.. c. aracter, antecedents, or phys1cal or mental cond1t1on not more or to the extemrnting circumstances· 1mder which the o:frence • than six was committed, it is 'e:s:pe'dient so to clo, order him to be£2"?"?9,",, relensed on his entering into a bond with- at least one surety on proba- · · to keep the peace ,aid, be, of goocl behaviour, fo remain under tion, , the supervision of a P·robation Oflic~r·.a:s' required under this- 4,ct, to observe the conditions im1)osed oy the· 'supe'.evision order and-to comply-.mith the provisions of section 6.:
· · Provided; that the· Co;urt shall not direct the release of an offender unless it,.is satisnecl.tha.t the offender. or the surety (where there is only one surety) or one of the sureties (here there are more than one surety), has a·fixed place of residence and regular occupation in the area ithin which the Court exercises. jurisdiction: or i:n whicl] the a.ffencler is likely to live cluing tli,e period referred fo in'slib.:-s.ection (.2) £pr which the bori.c1 is to remain in effect. · · '•. · · .. (2) The period for which the bond isto'remain in effect:
shill be statecl therein; such period shall not be .less than one year nor more than. three years· as, the ,Court may direct;
· and- upon the expiry.. of sµph period, th,e s.entence shall, sub j,ect to a:ay order passed unaer section 7, . be deemed to have been executed and the Sltpervision · · order shall stand can.celled.· ' ·
(3) Before passing an order under sub-section (Z), the Court may take into consideration a· report from a Probation Officer for the·area within its jurisdiction. '
(4) Whenever an order under sub-section (Z) is passed by a Court, it shall, in addition, pass· a· supervision order directing thu,t-the offender shall remai:q · under the super vision of a ·Probation Officer named in the..order daring the period £or which the bond is to remain in. ejfe<:it ~~4 p:!.ay in such supervision order impose' such conditions as t deems , necessary £or. the ·du_e supervision of ·the; offender, ·
(5) Such conditions may be with respect to .residence, abstention from intoxicants or s'ltyh 6ther matters as the Court deems necessary. . . . . . . . . '
(6) A Court hi@h passes ai order'pder sub-section (Z), skall £urmsh forthwith one copy each of the super1s1on order .free 0£ charge-to .the J?rqbation· Oiffiicer.concerned, the offender and the surety or sureties. ":
The -West Be.rvga;l O-/.fende1·s .(Release on A.ilmwruition 3 and- Probation) Act, 1964.
X3XVII ot 19564.1 Power.of Com.'t to order offender . .
released on admonition or proba tion or his parent or guardian to pay· compensa tion and costs.
;(Seotions 5,..6,) - ·5. .(Z) A Court ordering the release of an offender under sectJ:on ~- or section 4, may, 1f 1t thinks :fit, make at the same · time .further order directing him to pay-
(a) such compensation as the Court thinks reasonable for _ . .. loss or injury caused- to any person by the o:frence;
(b) where lie is so released after ha:ving · been ·convicted · . · ·of any , o:ffie:n.ce whic]J. includes theft, criminal misapproJ)r:i!ation, criminal ibreach of trust, or 0: ·cheating, or of havj.ng dishonestly received ~1r-.'i retained, or of having voluntarily assisted in.
%.- •• dii:rposing - of, stolen piroperty knowing OJ? having ·reason to believe the same to be stolen,-such compensation as it thinks reasonable to any bona · fide purchaser of - such· property for the loss of the same ;if such property is restored to tb.e possession of the person en'titled,-thereto; ·
(c) such costs' of ' proceedings as the Court thinks reasonable.
: : . _ (2) I£ the offender against whom an ortler is made under .· / sub-section ({) is, or appears to the. Court to· be, under the age •• of si:x:teen years and ;i,£ it appears to the Court that the parent.orguardian of the ,offender has contributed by hisneglect or · :f;n. any other way to the commission of the offence, t:jle Court gay order the payment of such compensation or cost'by suc:h parent or g-uardian; but :n.o such order shall be made Without · · .giving the pareil.-t er guardfan a;n, opportunity of"being heard.
- · . , ~3) /Fh.e · parent ·or guardian rnay appeal against any order .filatle tinder suib-sectio:rL .(2). · _ ._ _ · · · · · .
(4) A Civil Court trying any suit arising out of the same 't'Ilatter £or which the 0:ffiender is prosequted,- · shall take in.to acc0,u.n:t any sum paid or recovered as compensation wnder sub~section. (1) m awarding damages.. . .
• • . -- • I ' ~ , · .(5) /J;he amoun,t or,dereq. to be paid under sub-section (1) · : inay be recovered as a :fine in accordance with the provisions of sections _380 and 387 of the Code. · 1 J
6. A Court which passes an order under section 4 may variation at any time :w.b}ilie_i;h!') sup_ervi~ion :order· is in_ iorce, on sufil- of condi cient cause being shown by the Probation .Officer, or..of its tions of own m.otio:a w.her~ it·: deemi,_. pr@Ji)er, make. any variation in ,prbbation.
the conditions imposed in. th,e supervision order: '
Provided that.no .such variation ' shall be . made without giving the 0£1:e:q:der · and the, s:urety· · Oil' th:e . sureties n,amed in ' the bod an op]i)ortunity of being heard: . °
Provided further that if any surety refuses to consent to . such variati:0n, the. Gout may Irequire the offender to p;rovi<ilie · a'new surety in plaee of the· surety wlilie so Irefu:ses ; aRd up0n the failure of the offender to do so,, the Court may order the sentence to be' executed. . . ,•'. . . . . . . . : . . .
~-. • .• I , .
The Wes Bengt 0/tenders (Release on• Admonition" : . ·. • ilntl·Piob·atibn) Act, 1954. · _. · [West B~;-1.Act- . . " · (Secti/rfrM.· ''l?·9V '.j:1JJqvisiQn. - -"t(a I£ 'a ·ocrkt-&])}b'hpasses · ah order-\mclel' section 4 m case of.c lias_.re~son to J>eiieye· _on':~)i report''\;£ ·th~. Probation Office,;
. %,#?9,2, s or on formatiopy- received' that-·the oftender has failed'6 i>bSllrve.' . ob.seni·eJhg. cond1_t!.QJ.lS,'Of..:tJ;te 1:iond; ;i.t,may-'1ssl'!,e a warrant for conditi9.hs · . pA:s,, a1:rest.• or; may, :if it thiiiks fit, _issue . a summons to hilll of/l_iond. , and· 'Tuis· surety or sureties, recrt1iri:rig0 tliem to attend before ·' it:at·sl!i;Ch. ·ti:nie art.may be• speci:fiear.in the'summons. · ;, a)win' tie or6idr.is.iought ,betoie the- Court under . . ar:res~ or a;p'.P.E;.9,I'S -before itin :pursuance of the summons, the ·.~·-· .Qourt,may; e1Jher :r.ema;nd-.h.im to _;custocl,y_:u,nt_ilthe ·case is · · ·· goncluded or .admit h_im,,to)\J~il,. wiitl1 or without sureties, to . ·a.pp.ear, .OD. the_ -dat¢:·wb,,icli it may fix.. :£or heari,J.l;g~ .
.aj.ti.an 1e±ti@ tie case, Ee'Coit jsatisea hat J;he offender,has failed.to, observe,any .o.(J13f _conditions of the bond, ·at may forthwgth;a:.: +·.. -~- · ·.
·_ ·.. -._!,'.(a). ·owder the sente11_;~i·J;.9:,,b_e~.e~eci!,ted,::9~ ...:;::: . ';.'
. . . () wher the failure' is for the .:fi.rst"t'ri'ke•.;th.en; without.
_,._: . · .pmejilldiee Jo tlle:.ic0:atiJ;J;u_~\Q,C'!:l, in.Jpr.c'2 of the bond, •. · · .. . •· , .imp0se ·upon~·-hiin a pe:q.3:l!i, ,n<:>t..excEl!;)diµg. Mty .:-.,._ ·... :.. . .• rupees. - - ·: ·a±triers:ere.ereme · . ·., · a,:p.y.:su:ch £Jc1.l'·tk_er ·tiµie a~; ,DiiY. ..be ,p,"llow§d. ·l;>y fhe, Q(?~r~\t;·j~e .; · .. Qourt shall ·order the ·sentence·-to ,];e·executed. ·. . .. · .... ,,;
,-, •..·.- -- :;~-- "'__._-....·•. _ ..:.:._.:--~i-:··• ._-..:_;-:: :·~-~.-~':_:-.-,·1_:';..·}::..,.:;.-~:-:D--.·;_:~~,-~., ·· ·• · \; :; .. ' _ ..,' .. : ,· .. . '. •· .\ . . · . . ·.-. . •.. . •.. . .. ·, •;. . ·. ;
. Provisions " . 8 - ,:he "proviijio:i:I.S·\:&· see:t~ons: . .-;1.22c 126/ 126-k; ··406-.:A., - ll,S·to · .· ~.. ·.§14 514-.A:· 514-B · a,nd 515 0£·'thk"'"00de:· ·shall·. sc5°'1;far . \ sureties,> \ as_: :i'.n.a-y; be,' apply: i::ri. the ,case, of bonds .and sureties offered . . ,. i.Ui&er this- Aet .. : . . ,_ .- . · .. · . . . . . · : • · ·. :. , • r ·1 •- .i±.cs.
·9.- (1) A Probation"O'i@er"undei-this Act. shall-be"; · '..' . .. ... ' ~. -~ . . . . .. . ':,,.:. _ , _- . ~ - .
. (4).. lli,'person, ·ap[Poµi.ted to· ..be_ a. F-robaAfib:n: 0:ffi.ce:c •by the ·· ·. · State Et0vern:rb:eri.t 0:r :ree0gnis¢d '.as ·si:1cb.; by: ,:the .
State G9verrifuen't.; ,or : '· · -~~~: . •., ..: ::;:,:V.;:' 'icv () in any exceptional case, . anyother person. who, in the •.. ~._ ·; Q[DllllO'.l( of th.e ;C.ourt,. ]:f! .fit fo ~ej; as~ Pron~~!0]]:
,Oice in.the, special.cjieipistitges ofbe,ei$@. ' ..·; (2) . A Cort. which passes' an' order+under' ·section;4 or..fhe_ .. District MaO'istrate 0£ the d-istrict ·w'ithint>whfoih.-,t]])e·,ofti;lnd!er· ···to.the timebeing resides, may sti any time appoint'a@flier Pil:obat:u0'0. .Officer Ill the ,pilace of the ])E)IrS!)ll, - ll!'l.lD.ea; lD._. a:
:~uperv:faio:n. 0 1 rdef; . - . . . .. , . : , - . :. . . . : -~:/,. •'·-~ :,: ....
. · .. F)mppanation.---For the purposes , of this section the '.Pre.side:ney.:.tow:n of' Cal@titta sliallbe deemedto be a ,d1strict · and . th.e . O'.b,ief .· _Presi!d.ency . 'J~[a,gistrr}a:~e 1 · 0alc11tta, ·shall be deemed . to- be the ' Bisti:fot · Magistrate of that 'dd,str:i'.(3t>:. :.·. · .. ·"' · . , ... _;
·, . • .·i.:..
j ·· Probation. •Ocers. - I I • .The- West Bengal Offenders.(Release . on -Admonition 5 ind.Probation)aci1954."
• (Sections 10--13.)
10. A Probation- Officer shall, subject to such rules may be 'prescribed,-'-· .,..
(1) inquire, i£ ·callecl upon by a Court, into the circum stances or home surroundings of any o:ffencler with aie to assist the Court in determining the most.
s~1itab'.l.e ·method 0£ dealing·with him;... . - • . . : '... -~ ·~- . . . . - . ' ..
(2) supervise persons placed under .his supervision and, when necessary, endeavour to :find them suitable·, employment; . . ·.·. ·,
(3) advise, assist and befriend, in such cases and in su.6h man.ner as may be prescribed, persons who have· been released under section 4 ; and
(4) perform such other duties as may be required.
as Duties of Probation Officers.
{ ,,·.·.
.
:{ ' _ • ...
I l.1 .
:_,j:
w t 4 i VIII of . 1897.
Ben.Act II of 1922.
Ben. Act I of 1928.
11. An order under this Act may be made, varied, set . aside, or substituted , by a sentence,· by an Appellate Court, or by the High°Court when exercising its power 0£ revision.
13. Nothing in this Act shall affect· the provisions of section 31 of the Reformatory Schools Act, 1897, or the Bengal Children Act, i.-922, or the Bengal Borstal Schools Act, 1928.
Powers of Appellate Courts and the High Court.
Savings.
12, (1) .The State Government may make rules for Power ,to •,:>~:---........ . carrying out the purposes of this Act. make rules.
--- = (2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, such rules may provide £or all or any of 'the following matters, namely : (0,) matters required to be prescribed under this .A.ct;
(b) the manner of appointment or selection of Probation Qf!icers, the terms and conditions of their service ancl the. area within which they a:i:e tb exercise jurisdiction;
(a). the manner in which Probation Officers shall carry ·• out their duties under this Act and the submission of reports by them; · ·
(d) .the remuneration and expenses to be paid to Proba . tion O_fficers; · •('e) _tlie-p1tym.en-€ of subsidy to any society or organization which pro-vides perso:as who are recognised by the St'ate Government as Probation Officers under this Act;· . (3) All rules made 1.1:il.der this section. shall be subject to the condition of previous publication in the .Official Gazette .
Section 562 of the Code . not to apply in certain areas.
6 "gteWesiBen@@offenders'(Release on Admonition . . . . · :-ana Probation)c Act; ..1954. .
[West Ben. Act XXXVIII of 1954.]
. .
. :-(Sections 14, /5.)
· 14. Section '562 · 0£ the Code· shall cease to apply to 1areas in which this· Act or any provisions thereof' are brought into force.
. Act to . · 15. 'The · pro'v:isions. of th.is .A.ct. shall have effect not ez.s,gvorrid@is, withstanding anything to the contrary m any other law.Re
3.233 £226r 70,221\,6£ _"'"?..v.A.
WBGP-54,io-7702A-5M.