The Punjab Assembly has passed the Punjab Begging (Amendment) Bill 2025 by a majority vote. The bill will now be forwarded to the Punjab Governor for approval, after which the amendments will be incorporated into the existing law.
Under the proposed amendments, begging has been classified as a non-bailable offense in Punjab. The bill stipulates that a ringleader who solicits money from a single individual will face a prison sentence of three years, a fine of Rs 300,000, or both. If the fine is not paid, an additional six months of imprisonment will be imposed. Those who beg from multiple people will be sentenced to three to five years in prison and fined up to Rs 500,000, or both.
The Punjab government has introduced these amendments to crack down on professional beggars and organized begging networks. The provincial cabinet has already approved revisions to the Anti-Begging Act, aiming to deter the so-called “beggar mafia” through stricter penalties and fines.
The Punjab Assembly’s Special Committee on Home Affairs reviewed the amendments to the Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance before finalizing them. Once approved by the Governor, the changes will officially become part of the law.
