Mumbai, Nov 23: In a bid to eliminate the practice of social boycott still prevalent in various parts of the state, the Maharashtra government has prepared a draft bill ‘Maharashtra Prohibition of Social Boycott Act, 2015’.
As per the provisions of the draft bill, social boycott is prohibited and amounts to an offence. Any offence punishable under this Act would be cognizable and bailable and triable by a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class.
Whoever imposes or causes to impose any social boycott would, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment which may extend to seven years, or fine up to Rs 5 lakh, or both.
Any person who abets the offence would be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or fine up to Rs 3 lakh, or both.
The bill further prohibits assembling to impose social boycott. Such a gathering would be treated as unlawful assembly, and convening, organising or participating in such an assembly would be punishable with a fine which may extend to Rs 1.5 lakh.
The District Collector, the Social Boycott Prohibition Officer and the Police would be given the respective powers to act in accordance with the Act, the bill states.
