Section 2 in The Maharashtra Prevention Of Begging Act, 1959
2. Definitions
(1)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—(i)“begging” means—(a)soliciting or receiving alms in a public place, whether or not under any pretence such as singing, dancing, fortune-telling, performing or offering any article for sale;(b)entering on any private premises for the purpose of soliciting or receiving alms;(c)exposing or exhibiting, with the object of obtaining or extorting alms any sore, wound, injury, deformity or disease whether of a human being or animal;(d)having no visible means of subsistance and wandering about or remaining in any public place in such condition or manner, as makes it likely that the person doing so exists by soliciting or receiving alms;(e)allowing oneself to be used as an exhibit for the purpose of soliciting or receiving alms;but does not include soliciting or receiving money or food or gifts for a purpose authorised by any law, or authorised in the manner prescribed in Greater Bombay by the Commissioner of Police, and elsewhere by the District Magistrate, or in any part of the State by the State Government;(ii)“Certified Institution” means any institution which the State Government provides and maintains for the detention, training and employment of beggars and their dependents, and includes an institution certified to be such under sub-section (1) of section 13;(iii)“Chief Inspector” means the person appointed to be the Chief Inspector of Certified Institutions under sub-section (1) of section 17, and includes an Additional Chief Inspector appointed under that section;(iv)“child” has the same meaning as in the Bombay Children Act, 1948;(v)“Court” means the Court of a Judicial Magistrate of any class, or any other Court exercising criminal jurisdiction, in the area in which this Act is in force;(vi)“Juvenile Court” has the same meaning as in the Bombay Children Act, 1948;(vii)“prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;(viii)“Probation Officer” means an officer appointed to be a Probation Officer under sub-section (1) of section 17;(ix)“public place” includes a railway compartment;(x)“Receiving Centre” means an institutions for the reception and temporary detention of beggars provided by the State Government, or certified to be such under sub-section (1) of section 12;(xi)“Superintendent” means a Superintendent of a Receiving Centre or a Certified Institution, as the case may be.(2)Any reference to, or to a provision of, a Central or Bombay Act which is not in force in any area in which this Act is brought into force shall in relation to that area be construed as a reference to the corresponding law (if any) in force therein.
