Overview

• Eligible first-time, low-risk offenders can be diverted from imprisonment to community service under the new framework.
• Judges may convert part or all of a sentence into community work orders that specify hours, deadlines, supervising officers and default penalties.
• The guidelines define 17 service categories ranging from cleaning public spaces and planting saplings to maintaining heritage sites and supporting social welfare campaigns.
• Compliance will be tracked with biometric attendance, geo-tagged photos and videos, and periodic progress reports overseen by designated nodal officers in each district.
• Juveniles will be assigned supervised activities such as NCC training and environmental projects, while women offenders will work in safe spaces like Anganwadi centres and Nari Niketans.