Laws against touts in the offing: Delhi Govt

'Delhi Govt has already initiated the necessary process for a draft comprehensive legislation to curb toutism', says Manisha Saxena,

In an effort to curb the menace of middlemen and touts at government offices and institutions, Delhi Government has informed a city court that draft legislation was on anvil to make toutism a punishable offence.

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"The Home Department of the Delhi government has already initiated the necessary process for preparation of a draft comprehensive legislation to curb the menace of toutism," Manisha Saxena, Additional Secretary (Home), Government of NCT, told the Court.

Delhi Government, in its reply to Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Kamini Lau's query regarding existing laws to check rampant toutism, said legislation in this regard was in offing and they have initiated consultations with the Law Department.

The ACMM asked the city government to submit monthly status report on the issue explaining progress in the directions of bringing in the legislation.

Earlier, following a complaint against some alleged touts at IGI Airport here, the ACMM had asked the authorities to inform the court whether any specific law was in place to deal with toutism and if not, how the Delhi Government proposed to tackle this menace.

The court, expressing concern over increasing numbers of such incidents, had said, "Toutism has become a major menace not only at the airports but also in courts, passport offices and licensing authorities etc."