ENFORCING CRIMINALITY: APPLICATION OF THE CRIMINAL TRIBES ACTS IN INDIA

In India several draconian acts were passed by the colonial administrators to notify, register and restrict the movement of criminal tribes. The legislation to deal with these communities began in India with the enactment of the Act XXVII during the year 1871. The Police Commission of 1902-3 criticized the working of the Act and a fresh Act III of 1911 was enacted. As there had been many amendments to the original Criminal Tribes Act that a fresh Act of 1924 was passed consolidating the provisions of various earlier Acts. The Act of 1924 was amended by Act I of 1947.