New Delhi: The Rajasthan state assembly passed a new bill on Monday night to insert a new section 27-A in the Rajasthan Tourism Trade (Facilitation and Regulation) Act, 2010.
Making misbehaviour with tourists a cognisable offence in Rajasthan and a non-bailable one if repeated. The house passed the Rajasthan Tourism Trade (Facilitation and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021 with a voice vote.
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Tourism is one of the main industries of Rajasthan, the state sees thousands of domestic & foreign visitors each year. These visitors face problems due to touts, illegal vendors and undesirable elements.
According to the section 27-A, "All the offences punishable under the Act shall be cognisable and bailable: provided that the offences punishable under subsection (3) and sub-section (4) of section 13 of the Act shall be cognisable and non-bailable," PTI reported.
Section 13 (3) says whoever commits subsequent offence of touting shall be arrested without warrant by police and, on conviction, be punished with rigorous imprisonment of up to three years or fine of up to Rs. 30,000 or both.
While 13 (4) says whoever, habitually engages in the practice of touting even after having been punished more than once, shall be arrested without warrant by police and punished on conviction with rigorous imprisonment of up to seven years or a fine up to Rs. 1 lakh or both.
Minister of State for Tourism Govind Singh Dotasra said the legislation was brought in 2010 to boost tourism and prevent misbehaviour with tourists but since it was not mentioned whether the offence was bailable or non-bailable, it had to be amended.
Dotasra said police stations in Jaipur and Udaipur were set up by the state government to check touting, cases were filed in 2016 and challans were submitted.