The Railways Act, 1989 144Chapter XV · Penalties and Offences
Section 144 · Prohibition on hawking, etc., and begging
Text size — level 1 of 4
(1) If any person canvasses for any custom or
hawks or exposes for sale any article whatsoever in any railway carriage or upon any part of a railway,
except under and in accordance with the terms and conditions of a licence granted by the railway
administration in this behalf, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to
one year, or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both:
Provided that, in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be mentioned in the judgment of the court, such punishment shall not be less than a fine of one thousand rupees.
1[(2) No person shall be permitted to beg in any railway carriage or upon any part of the railway.]
(3) Any person referred to in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) may be removed from the railway carriage or any part of the railway or railway station, as the case may be, by any railway servant authorised in this behalf or by any other person whom such railway servant may call to his aid.
Provided that, in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be mentioned in the judgment of the court, such punishment shall not be less than a fine of one thousand rupees.
1[(2) No person shall be permitted to beg in any railway carriage or upon any part of the railway.]
(3) Any person referred to in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) may be removed from the railway carriage or any part of the railway or railway station, as the case may be, by any railway servant authorised in this behalf or by any other person whom such railway servant may call to his aid.
The offence at a glance
- Maximum punishment
- 1 year
- Fine
- ₹2,000
- Cognizable
- Non-cognizable
- Bailable
- Bailable
- Compoundable
- Not compoundable
- Triable by
- Any Magistrate
- Non-cognizable — Police cannot investigate without a Magistrate's order
- Bailable — Bail is your right — it can be granted at the police station
Sub-sections of this section carry different penalties; the maximum is shown.
Derived from the First Schedule Part II rule — not listed section by section
Your private note on this section
Only you can see this note.