The Maharashtra Devdasi System (Abolition) Act, 2005

Preamble

MAHARASHTRA ACT No. XXXIII OF 2006¹

[THE MAHARASHTRA DEVDASI SYSTEM (ABOLITION) ACT, 2005.]

[This Act received the assent of the Governor on the 6th August 2006; assent was first published in the Maharashtra Government Gazette, Extraordinary, Part IV, on the 11th August 2006.]

An Act to provide for a comprehensive law to abolish the practice of dedication of women as Devdasis to Hindu deities, idols, objects of worship, temples or religious institutions, and to protect the women so dedicated against exploitation, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

WHEREAS it is expedient to abolish the practice of dedicating women to the Hindu deities, idols, objects of worship, temples or religious institutions as devdasis which is in existence in some parts of the State ;

AND WHEREAS such practice of Devdasis is derogatory to the dignity of women leading to their exploitation ;

AND WHEREAS with a view to suggest effective measures to abolish such practice and to rehabilitate the Devdasis in the society to enable them to lead respectable life, the Government of Maharashtra had appointed a study group;

AND WHEREAS after considering the recommendations made by the study group, it is considered expedient to enact a comprehensive law providing for effectively abolishing "Devdasi" system, so as to enable them to live with dignity ; and to make stringent deterrent provisions for punishing the persons who are responsible for or involved in, this practice of Devdasis and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto ; it is hereby enacted in the Fifty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows :-

Sections

Type to filter. 22 sections.

1. 1Short title, extent and commencement
2. 2Definitions
3. 3Dedication as Devdasi unlawful
4. 4Marriage of Devdasi
5. 5Control Board
6. 6Powers, functions and duties of Control Board
7. 7Disqualification and removal of nominated members
8. 8Constitution of District Committee
9. 9Powers, functions and duties of District Committee
10. 10Devdasi Prevention Officers
11. 11Offences and penalties
12. 12Cognizance of offence
13. 13Limitation not to apply for taking cognizance
14. 14Procedure to be followed in tiral
15. 15Copy of information by police to be forwarded to District Committee
16. 16Copy of judgment to be forwarded to District Committee
17. 17Publication of fact of conviction, etc
18. 18Public servants
19. 19Protection of action taken in good faith
20. 20Power to make rules
21. 21Removal of difficulty
22. 22Repeal and saving

Rules made under this Act

1 set of Rules. India Code publishes Rules as a record and a document rather than as text, so these are indexed here and not reproduced. All Rules.

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