A first: Jammu, Katra courts deliver sentences on community service

The courts in Jammu and Katra have made history by handing down the first-ever convictions mandating community service as a form of punishment under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

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The judgments, delivered in three separate cases involving public misconduct by drunken individuals, represent a progressive shift toward restorative justice and community rehabilitation. An official highlighted that these cases reflect the judiciary’s commitment to exploring innovative sentencing measures aimed at societal betterment.

In the first case, the 3rd Additional Munsiff Court in Jammu convicted Anuj Kumar under Section 355 of the BNS, 2023, for public misconduct in an intoxicated state. The accused was found obstructing traffic and causing public annoyance.

The court sentenced him to one week of community service at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Dansal. The service will involve cleaning, sweeping and mopping the facility for three hours daily, from 9 am to 12 noon. The SHO of Police Station Jhajjar Kotli has been tasked with ensuring compliance and submitting a report with photographic evidence.

In a similar case before the same court, the accused, Pappu, was convicted for the same offense of causing traffic disruptions and public disorder. The court also sentenced him to one week of community service, directing him to clean and maintain a public park at Jhajjar Kotli daily from 9 am to 12 noon. The SHO of Police Station Jhajjar Kotli is responsible for overseeing compliance and reporting back to the court.

In the third case, heard before the Sub-Judge Court in Katra, Vijay Kumar was convicted for causing public nuisance in a drunken state at Panthal near Foura Chowk. The judge ordered him to perform community service by cleaning and maintaining the park managed by the Katra Development Authority for three consecutive days. The Chief Executive Officer of the Katra Development Authority has been directed to oversee his compliance.