MAHARASHTRA PROHIBITION OF RAGGING ACT, 1999

→Section {2} of section 1 of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging act, 1999 {Mah. XXXIII of 1999}, the Government of Maharashtra hereby appoints the 1 day of June 1999 to be the date on which the said Act shall come into force. By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra, V.P. Raja, (Secretary to Government)

→In pursuance of clause (3) of article 348 of the Constitution of India, the following translation in English of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999 (Mah, XXXIII of 1999), is hereby published under the authority of the Governor. By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra PRATIMAUMARJI, Secretary to Government, Law and Judiciary Department.

MAHARASHTRA ACT NO. XXXIII OF 1999.

(First published, after having received the assent of the Governor in the "Maharashtra Government Gazette", on 15 May 1999.) WHEREAS it is expedient to enact a special law to prohibit ragging in educational institutions in the State of Maharashtra. It is hereby enacted in the Fiftieth Year of the Republic of India as follows :

• →Short title and commencement This Act may be called the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999. It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint.
• →Definitions "Educational Institution" means and includes a college, or other institution by whatever name called, carrying on the activity or imparting education therein (either exclusively or among other activities); and includes an orphanage or boarding home or hostel or a tutorial institution or any other premises attached thereto.
• →"Head of the educational institution" means the Vice-Chancellor of the University, dean of Medical Faculty, Director of the Institution or the Principal, headmaster or the person responsible for the management of the educational institution.
• "Ragging" means display of disorderly conduct, doing of any act which causes or is likely to cause physical psychological harm or raise apprehension or fear or shame or embarrassment to a student in any educational institution and includes (i) teasing, abusing, threatening or playing practical jokes on, or causing hurt to, such student; or (ii) asking a student to do any act or perform something which such student will not, in the ordinary course, willingly, do.

Prohibition of ragging

• Ragging within or outside of any educational institution is prohibited.

Penalty for ragging

• Whoever directly or indirectly commits, participates in abets or propagates ragging within or outside any education institution shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees.

Dismissal of student

• Any student convicted of an offence under section 4 shall be dismissed from the educational institution and such student shall not be admitted in any other educational institution for a period of five years from the date of order of such dismissal.

Suspension of student

• Whenever any student or, as the case may be, the parent or guardian, or a teacher of an educational institution complains, in writing, of ragging to the head of the educational institution, the head of that educational institution shall, without prejudice to the foregoing provisions, within seven days of the receipt of the complaint, enquire into the matter mentioned in the complaint and if prima facie, it is found true, suspend the student who is accused of the offence, and shall, immediately forward the complaint to the police station having jurisdiction over the area in which the educational institution is situated, for further action.
• Where, on enquiry by the head of the educational institution, it is proved that there is no substance, prima facie, in the complaint received under sub - section (1), he shall intimate the fact, in writing, to the complainant.
• The decision of the head of the educational institution that the student has indulged in ragging under sub-section (1), shall be final

Deemed abetment

• If the head of the educational institution fails or neglects to take action in the manner specified in section 6 when a complaint of ragging is made, such person shall be deemed to have abetted the offence of ragging arid shall, on conviction, be punished as provided for in section 4. Power to make rules
• The state Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, for carrying out all or any of the purposes of this Act.