Which of the following statements is/are correct with reference to begging?
A. Provisions of the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959 treats begging as an offence.
B. According to Census 2011 the total number of beggars in India is more than 2lakhs.
C. Both A & B
D. None of these
Explanation:
The Supreme Court has asked the Centre and four states, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, to file their response within three weeks on a plea seeking a direction to repeal the provisions criminalising begging. The plea has referred to the August 2018 verdict of the Delhi High Court which had decriminalised begging in the national capital and said provisions of the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, which treats begging as an offence cannot sustain constitutional scrutiny. Referring to the Census 2011, the plea has said the total number of beggars in India is 4,13,670 and the number has increased from the last census.
