Chennai, Aug 23 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government has formally introduced 16 categories of community service as punishments for minor offences, offering courts an alternative to traditional fines and short jail terms.

The move, approved by the Governor and framed by the Home Department, is intended to make punishments reformative, socially useful, and beneficial to public facilities.

The initiative follows the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which provided for community service as a form of penalty.

Under the new rules, courts can sentence offenders to work in designated government institutions and community spaces, with the type and duration of service decided by the presiding judge.

The 16 services identified by the government include cleaning hospital wards, assisting in casualty and outpatient care, cleaning classrooms, maintaining books in libraries, cleaning public parks, cleaning beaches, planting trees, regulating traffic with police supervision, maintaining government offices, assisting in government hostels, helping senior citizens in old-age homes, assisting visitors in museums, maintaining records in public institutions, supporting staff in local bodies, upkeep of community halls, and helping in sanitation drives.

Execution will be supervised by designated police officers posted in hospitals, schools, and other institutions. District probation officers or government-appointed monitors will ensure compliance and report progress back to the court.

Officials stressed that these community service punishments will not apply to non-bailable offences requiring remand, such as murder, rape, criminal conspiracy, or cheating.

Only government-run facilities will be used, with no provision for private organisations.

Earlier, community service was occasionally ordered at the discretion of judges, but it was limited in scope and mostly confined to fineable offences. The new framework makes the practice uniform and legally enforceable, while also helping strengthen public institutions and community spaces.

Legal experts believe the reform could ease the burden on police stations and prisons.

Senior lawyer Rajamanikam noted that while community service is already used within prison premises under constable supervision, extending it to public spaces will require strict and transparent monitoring to ensure accountability and dignity for those involved.

By channeling punishments into constructive tasks, the government hopes to create a justice model where offenders contribute directly to community welfare instead of merely serving time behind bars.

—IANS

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