Human Trafficking
Legal Framework in India
India's anti-trafficking legal architecture spans multiple statutes and constitutional provisions, making this a high-relevance area for UPSC Mains (GS-2 and GS-3).
- IPC Section 370 (now BNS Section 143): Comprehensive anti-trafficking provision inserted by the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013; covers all forms of exploitation including forced labour, sexual exploitation, and forced enlistment in armed forces
- Section 370 covers recruitment, transportation, harboring, transfer, or receipt of persons by coercion, deception, or abuse of power for exploitation
- Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (ITPA): India's foundational anti-trafficking statute; originally addressed commercial sexual exploitation; the 1986 amendment made it more gender-neutral
- UJJAWALA Scheme: MoWCD scheme for prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of trafficking victims
- India's Ratification: India is a party to the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (Palermo Protocol, 2000)
- The pending Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill has been in legislative pipeline — its absence creates regulatory gaps in non-sexual exploitation scenarios such as forced labour and military conscription
● Tracked since March 15, 2026 · last seen April 10, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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