Offences, Penalties and the Prohibition Against Discrimination
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Nine
Syllabus topic 5, "Preparedness on Environmental Disasters"
Pages 635 to 642 of 913
In one line
Ten sections make a short criminal code for disasters, and in May 2026 a second Jan Vishwas Act cut three of the sentences.
In the wording a student can write in an examination: Chapter X of the Disaster Management Act 2005 contains the offences and penalties; section 51 punishes obstruction and refusal to comply with a direction; section 52 a false claim; section 53 misappropriation of relief money or materials; section 54 a false warning; section 55 offences by Departments of the Government; section 56 failure of an officer in duty or connivance at a contravention; section 57 contravention of a requisitioning order; section 58 offences by companies; section 59 the requirement of previous sanction; section 60 cognizance; and section 60A, inserted in 2025, a power to require action in relation to the nature of a hazard with a penalty for contravention.
The offences, at a glance
| Section | Offence | Punishment as it now stands |
|---|---|---|
| 51(a) | obstructing an officer or an authorised person in the discharge of his functions | imprisonment up to six months, or fine, or both |
| 51(b) | refusing to comply with a direction of the Central or State Government, the National or State Executive Committee, the District Authority or the Urban Authority | the same, and up to one year where the obstruction or refusal results in loss of lives or imminent danger thereof |
| 52 | knowingly making a false claim for relief, assistance, repair, reconstruction or other benefit | imprisonment up to six months, and also fine |
| 53 | misappropriating money or materials meant for relief | imprisonment up to one year, and also fine |
| 54 | making or circulating a false alarm or warning as to a disaster or its severity or magnitude, leading to panic | imprisonment up to one year, or fine |
| 56(1) | an officer on whom a duty is imposed who ceases or refuses to perform it or withdraws from it | imprisonment up to one year, or fine |
| 57 | contravening an order made under section 65, requisitioning | imprisonment up to one year, or fine, or both |
| 60A(3) | contravening a notification under section 60A | a penalty as specified in the notification, not exceeding ten thousand rupees |
The change of 15 May 2026, and no textbook has it. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act 2026, Act 8 of 2026, amended sections 51, 52 and 53 with effect from 15 May 2026.
- Section 51 previously carried imprisonment up to one year. It now carries six months, with one year reserved for the case where the obstruction or refusal results in loss of lives or imminent danger thereof.
- Section 52, false claim, previously carried two years. It now carries six months.
- Section 53, misappropriation of relief money or materials, previously carried two years. It now carries one year.
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