[23rd December, 1986.]

    

An Act to prohibit the engagement of children in certain employments and to regulate the conditions of work of children in certain other employments.

 

Be it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-Seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows: --

 

  

PART I PRELIMINARY

 

 

  

1. Short title, extent and commencement. --  (1) This Act may be called the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986.

 

2. It extends to the whole of India.

 

3. The provisions of this Act, other than Part III, shall come into force at once, and Part III shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, and different dates may be appointed for different States and for different classes of establishments.

 

  

2. Definitions. -- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, --

 

1. "appropriate  Government"  means,  in  relation  to an establishment under  the control  of the  Central Government or a railway administration or a major port or a mine or oilfield, the Central Government, and in all other cases, the State Government;

 

2. "child"  means a  person  who  has  not  completed  his fourteenth year of age;

 

3. "day" means a period of twenty-four hours beginning at mid-night;

 

4. "establishment"    includes   a    shop,   commercial establishment, workshop,  farm,  residential  hotel,  restaurant, eating house,  theatre or  other place  of  public  amusement  or entertainment;

 

5. "family",   in  relation  to  an  occupier,  means  the individual, the  wife or  husband, as  the case  may be,  of such individual,  and  their  children,  brother  or  sister  of  such individual;

 

6. "occupier",  in  relation  to  an  establishment  or  a workshop, means  the person who has the ultimate control over the affairs of the establishment or workshop;

 

7. "port  authority" means  any authority administering a port;

 

8. "prescribed"  means prescribed  by rules  made  under section 18;

 

9. "week"  means a  period  of  seven  days  beginning  at midnight on Saturday night or such other night as may be approved in writing for a particular area by the Inspector;

 

10. "workshop" means any  premises (including the precincts thereof) wherein  any industrial process is carried on, but does not include any premises to which the provisions of section 67 of the Factories Act, 1948 (63 of 1948), for the time being, apply.

 

  

PART II

 

PROHIBITION OF EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN CERTAIN

OCCUPATIONS AND PROCESSES

 

  

3. Prohibition  of employment  of children in certain occupations and processes.--  No child shall be employed or permitted to work in any of the  occupations set  forth in  Part A  of the  Schedule or  in any workshop wherein  any of  the processes  set forth  in Part  B of  the Schedule is carried on:

 

Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to any workshop wherein any  process is carried on by the occupier with the aid of his family or  to any  school established  by, or  receiving assistance or recognition from, Government.

 

4. Power  to amend  the Schedule.--  The Central  Government, after giving by  notification in  the Official  Gazette, not less than three months notice  of its  intention so  to do, may, by like notification, add any  occupation or  process to  the  Schedule  and  thereupon  the Schedule shall be deemed to have been amended accordingly.

 

  

5. Child  Labour Technical  Advisory Committee.--  (1) The  Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute an advisory committee  to be  called the  Child Labour Technical Advisory Committee (hereafter  in this section referred to as the Committee) to advise  the   Central  Government  for  the  purpose  of  addition  of occupations and processes to the Schedule.

 

2. The Committee shall  consist of  a Chairman  and such  other members not  exceeding  ten,  as  may  be  appointed  by  the  Central Government.

 

3. The  Committee  shall  meet  as  often  as  it  may  consider necessary and shall have power to regulate its own procedure.

 

4. The  Committee may,  if it  deems  it  necessary  so  to  do, constitute one or more sub-committees and may appoint to any such sub-committee,  whether   generally  or   for  the  consideration  of  any particular matter, any person who is not a member of the Committee.

 

5. The term of office, of the manner of filling casual vacancies in the office of, and the allowances, if any, payable to, the Chairman and  other   members  of   the  Committee,   and  the  conditions  and restrictions subject to which the Committee may appoint any person who is not  a member  of the  Committee as  a member  of any  of its  sub- committees shall be such as may be prescribed.

 

  

PART III REGULATION OF CONDITIONS OF WORK OF CHILDREN

 

 

6. Application  of Part.--  The provisions of this Part shall apply to an  establishment or a class of establishments in which none of the occupations or processes referred to in section 3 is carried on.

 

7. Hours and period of work. --  (1) No child shall be required or permitted to work in any establishment in excess of such number of hours as may be prescribed for such establishment or class of establishments.

 

2. The  period of  work on  each day  shall be  so fixed that no period shall  exceed three hours and that no child shall work for more than three  hours before  he has had an interval for rest for at least one hour.

 

3. The  period of  work of  a child  shall be  so arranged  that inclusive of  his interval  for rest,  under sub-section (2), it shall not be  spread over  more than  six hours, including the time spent in waiting for work on any day.

 

4. No child shall be permitted or required to work between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m.

 

5. No child shall be required or permitted to work overtime.

 

6. No  child shall  be required  or permitted  to  work  in  any establishment on  any day  on which  he has  already been  working  in another establishment.

 

  

8. Weekly holidays.-- Every  child employed  in  an  establishment shall be  allowed in  each week, a holiday of one whole day, which day shall be  specified by  the occupier in a notice permanently exhibited in a  conspicuous place  in the establishment and the day so specified shall not be altered by the occupier more than once in three months.

 

9. Notice  to Inspector.--  (1) Every  occupier in  relation to  an establishment in  which a  child was  employed or  permitted  to  work immediately before the date of commencement of this Act in relation to such establishment  shall, within  a period  of thirty  days from such commencement, send to the Inspector within whose  local limits  the establishment  is situated,  a written notice containing the following particulars, namely:--

 

1. 1. the name and situation of the establishment;

 

1. 2. the  name of  the person  in actual  management  of  the establishment;

 

1. 3. the address to  which communications  relating  to the establishment should be sent; and

 

1. 4. the  nature of  the occupation  or process carried on in the establishment.

 

2. Every occupier, in relation to an establishment, who employs, or permits  to work,  any child after the date of commencement of this Act in  relation to  such establishment,  shall, within  a  period  of thirty days  from the  date of  such employment, send to the Inspector within whose  local limits  the establishment  is situated,  a written notice containing the particulars as are mentioned in sub-section (1).

 

Explanation.-- For the purposes of sub-sections (1) and (2), "date of commencement  of this  Act, in  relation to an establishment" means the date  of bringing  into force  of this  Act in  relation  to  such establishment.

 

3. Nothing   in  sections   7, 8 and 9 shall  apply  to  any establishment wherein  any process  is carried on by the occupier with the aid  of his  family or  to any school established by, or receiving assistance or recognition from, Government.

 

10. Disputes  as to  age.--  If  any  question  arises  between  an Inspector and  an occupier  as to the age of any child who is employed or is  permitted to  work by  him in  an establishment,  the  question shall, in  the absence  of a  certificate as  to the age of such child granted by  the prescribed  medical  authority,  be  referred  by  the Inspector for decision to the prescribed medical authority.

 

 

11. Maintenance  of register.--  There shall be maintained by every occupier in  respect of  children employed or permitted to work in any establishment, a  register  to  be  available  for  inspection  by  an Inspector at  all times  during working  hours or  when work  is being carried on in any such establishment, showing--

 

1. 1. the name and date of birth of every child so employed or permitted to work;

 

1. 2. hours  and periods  of work  of any  such child  and the intervals of rest to which he is entitled;

 

1. 3. the nature of work of any such child; and

 

1. 4. such other particulars as may be prescribed.

 

12. Display  of notice  containing abstract of sections 3 and 14.-- Every railway administration, every port authority and every occupier shall cause  to be  displayed in a conspicuous and accessible place at every station  on its railway or within the limits of a port or at the place of  work, as the case may be, a notice in the local language and in the English language containing an abstract of sections 3 and 14.

 

13. Health  and safety.--  (1) The  appropriate Government  may, by notification in  the Official  Gazette, make  rules for the health and safety  of   the  children  employed  or  permitted  to  work  in  any establishment or class of establishments.

 

(2)  Without   prejudice  to  the  generality  of  the  foregoing provisions, the said rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:--

 

1. cleanliness  in the  place of  work and its freedom from nuisance;

 

2. disposal of wastes and effluents;

 

3. ventilation and temperature;

 

4. dust and fume;

 

5. artificial humidification;

 

6. lighting;

 

7. drinking water;

 

8. latrine and urinals;

 

1. spittoons;

 

10. fencing of machinery;

 

11. work at or near machinery in motion;

 

50. employment of children on dangerous machines;

 

(m) instructions,  training and  supervision in  relation to employment of children on dangerous machines;

 

14. device for cutting off power;

 

• self-acting machines;

 

16. easing of new machinery;

 

17. floor, stairs and means of access;

 

18. pits, sumps, openings in floors, etc.;

 

19. excessive weights;

 

20. protection of eyes;

 

21. explosive or inflammable dust, gas, etc.;

 

5. precautions in case of fire;

 

(w) maintenance of buildings; and

 

10. safety of buildings and machinery.

 

 

PART IV MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

14. Penalties.-- (1) Whoever employs any child or permits any child to work  in contravention  of the  provisions of  section 3  shall  be punishable with  imprisonment for  a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to one year or with fine which shall not be  less than  ten thousand  rupees but which may extend to twenty thousand rupees or with both.

 

(2) Whoever, having been convicted of an offence under section 3, commits a  like  offence  afterwards,  he  shall  be  punishable  with imprisonment for  a term  which shall  not be less than six months but which may extend to two years.

 

 

(3) Whoever--

 

(a) fails to give notice as required by section 9; or

 

(b) fails  to maintain  a register as required by section 11 or makes any false entry in any such register; or

 

(c) fails  to display  a notice  containing an  abstract  of section 3 and this section as required by section 12; or

 

(d) fails to comply with or contravenes any other provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder.

 

shall be  punishable with  simple imprisonment, which may extend to one month or  with fine , which may  extend to  ten thousand rupees or with both.

 

15. Modified  application  of  certain  laws   in   relation   to penalties.--   (1)  Where  any  person  is found guilty and convicted of contravention of any of the provisions mentioned in  sub-section  (2), he shall be liable to penalties as  provided  in  sub-sections (1) and (2) of  section  14  of  this  Act  and  not  under  the Acts in which those provisions are contained.

 

(2) The  provisions  referred  to  in  sub-section (1) are the provisions mentioned below:--

 

1. section 67 of the Factories Act, 1948 (63 of 1948);

 

2. section 40 of the Mines Act, 1952 (35 of 1982);

 

3. section  109  of the Merchant Shipping  Act,  1958  (44 of 1958); and

 

4. section 21 of the Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961  (27 of 1961).

 

16. Procedure relating to offences. -- (1) Any person, police officer or Inspector may file a complaint of the commission of an offence under this Act in any court of competent jurisdiction.

 

2. Every  certificate as  to the  age of  a child which has been granted by a prescribed medical authority shall, for  the  purposes of this Act, be conclusive evidence as to the age of the child to whom it relates.

 

3. No  court inferior  to that of a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Magistrate of the first class shall try any offence under this Act.

 

17. Appointment  of Inspectors.--  The appropriate  Government  may appoint Inspectors  for the  purposes of  securing compliance with the provisions of  this Act and any Inspector so appointed shall be deemed to be  a public  servant within  the meaning of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).

 

18. Power  to make  rules.-- (1) The appropriate Government may, by notification in  the Official  Gazette and subject to the condition of previous  publication,   make  rules  for  carrying  into  effect  the provisions of this Act.

 

(2) In  particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power,  such rules  may  provide  for  all  or  any  of  the following matters, namely:--

 

1. the  term of  office of,  the manner of filling  casual vacancies of,  and the  allowances payable  to the Chairman and members of  the Child Labour Technical Advisory Committee and the conditions and restrictions  subject to  which a nonmember may be appointed to a sub-committee under sub-section (5) of section 5;

 

2. number  of hours  for which  a child  may be required or permitted to work under sub-section (1) of section 7;

 

3. grant of certificates of age in respect of young persons in employment  or seeking  employment,  the  medical  authorities, which may  issue such  certificate, the form of such certificate, charges , which may be made thereunder, and the manner in which such certificate may be issued:

 

Provided that  no charge  shall be made for the issue of any such certificate if the application is accompanied by evidence of age deemed satisfactory by the authority concerned;

 

4. the  other particulars, which a register maintained under section 11, should contain.

 

19. Rules and notifications to be laid before Parliament or State legislature.-- (1)  Every rule  made  under  this  Act  by  the  Central Government and  every notification  issued under  section 4,  shall be laid, as  soon as may be after it is made or issued, before each House of Parliament,  while it  is in  session for  a total period of thirty days which  may be  comprised  in  one  session  or  in  two  or  more successive  sessions,  and  if,  before  the  expiry  of  the  session immediately  following   the  session   or  the   successive  sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or notification or  both Houses  agree  that  the  rule  or  notification should  not  be  made  or  issued,  the  rule  or  notification  shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no  effect, as  the  case  may  be;  so,  however,  that  any such modification or annulment shall be without  prejudice  to  the  validity  of  anything previously done under that rule or notification.

 

(2) Every rule made by a State Government under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made, before the legislature of that State.

 

20. Certain  other provisions  of law  not barred.-- Subject to the provisions contained in section 15, the provisions of this Act and the rules made  thereunder shall  be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the  provisions of  the Factories  Act, 1948  (63 of  1948),   the Plantations Labour  Act, 1951  (69 of  1951) and the Mines  Act,  1952 (35 of 1952).

 

21. Power to remove difficulties.-- (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect  to the  provisions of  this Act, the Central Government may, by  order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removal of the difficulty:

 

Provided that  no such  order shall be made after the expiry of a period of  three years  from the  date on  which this Act receives the assent of the President.

 

(2) Every  order made under this section shall, as soon as may be after it is made, be laid before the Houses of Parliament.

 

22. Repeal and savings. -- (1) The Employment of Children Act,  1938 (26 of 1938) is hereby repealed.

 

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done  or  any  action taken or  purported to  have been  done or  taken  under  the  Act  so repealed shall, in so far as it is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, be  deemed to  have been  done or  taken under  the corresponding provisions of this Act.

 

23. Amendment  of Act  11 of  1948. In  section 2  of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948,--

 

1. for   clause  (a),   the  following  clauses  shall  be substituted, namely:--

 

(a) "adolescent"  means a person who has completed his fourteenth year  of age but has not completed his eighteenth year;

 

1. 1. "adult"  means a  person  who  has  completed  his eighteenth year of age;

 

2. after clause  (b),  the  following  clause  shall  be inserted, namely:--

 

(bb) "child"  means a person who has not completed his fourteenth year of age;'.

 

24. Amendment  of Act  69 of 1951.-- In the Plantations Labour Act, 1951: --

 

1. 1. in  section 2,  in clauses  and  (c), for  the  word "fifteenth", the word "fourteenth" shall be substituted; 

 

1. 2. section 24 shall be omitted;

 

24. 3. in  section 26,  in the  opening portion, the words "who has completed his twelfth year" shall be omitted. 
25. Amendment  of Act  44 of  1958.-- In the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, in  section 109,  for the  word "fifteen",  the word  "fourteen" shall be substituted.

 

26. Amendment  of Act  27 of 1961.-- In the Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961,  in section  2, in  clauses  (a)  and  (c),  for  the  word "fifteenth", the word "fourteenth" shall be substituted.