Under which one of the following Sections of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 has 'power of State Government to impose collective fine' been provided?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — B, Section 10A. 'Power of State Government to impose collective fine' is provided in Section 10A of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. This provision was inserted by the 1976 amendment (which also renamed the Act from the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955): where the inhabitants of an area are concerned in or abetting the commission of untouchability offences, the State Government may impose a collective fine on them.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Section 10 deals with 'Abetment of offence' — punishing anyone who abets an untouchability offence, not the imposition of a collective fine.  (c) Section 14 covers 'Offences by companies' (that is the answer to a nearby question, Q89), not collective fines.  (d) Section 14A provides 'Protection of action taken in good faith' (the answer to Q88); it has nothing to do with collective fines.

Concept: The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 (originally the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955, renamed in 1976) is the statute that enforces Article 17 by punishing the practice of 'untouchability'. The 1976 amendment strengthened it — making offences non-compoundable and cognizable, adding a collective-fine power (Section 10A) and casting a duty on State Governments (Section 15A).

State PCS 2018 Q87 — Indian Polity PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2018 Q87 — Indian Polity PYQ with Answer