बच्चे को दूध से लेकर कुत्ते की देखभाल तक: इन 5,333 कारणों से जा सकते हैं जेल

Speedy Summary

• A report titled “State of the System (SOS)” by vidhi Center for Legal Policy reveals that there are 7,305 criminal offenses in India where legal action could be initiated,with 5,333 of these carrying potential jail sentences.
• These offenses include serious crimes like murder and kidnapping but also extend to minor issues such as failing to walk one’s dog properly or throwing trash in a zoo.
• Many laws punish routine administrative lapses, like failing to maintain records or providing required details to authorities.
• The report highlights that only five central laws account for over 1,800 criminal acts; some are unrelated directly to criminal justice, such as corporate regulation laws.
• About three-fourths of listed offenses originate outside classical criminal justice domains and touch sectors like education and environment.
• Over the past two decades, nearly 2,500 new crimes have been introduced via central legislation.
• The study critiques excessive reliance on punitive measures even for minor infractions or compliance failures.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The findings from the SOS report illuminate a pervasive culture of overcriminalization in india that stretches beyond severe crimes into administrative errors and ordinary violations. This proliferation can strain judicial systems further while diverting resources away from addressing more critical infractions.For average citizens and businesses alike, such regulations risk fostering fear rather than compliance due to harsh penalties disproportionate to the severity of breaches.

The underlying issue not only challenges efficient governance but also raises broader policy concerns about balancing enforcement with proportionality and fairness in punishment. A meaningful recalibration could focus on alternative mechanisms-such as fines or corrective measures-for lesser transgressions without overly depending on custodial sentences.

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