ABSTRACT
The enactment of new criminal laws in India represent a seismic shift in the criminal justice policy, in the new criminal laws several procedural averments were introduced based on long-standing recommendations of various committees. Introduction of Community Service as one of the altrenative to imprisonment under section 4 (f) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 has been potrated as one such transformational change which has potiential to address the long-standing concerns of imprisonment. However, under BNS the scope of the Community Service has been restricted for specific minor offences and for first time offenders. The BNSS defines and provides procedural framework for implementing Community Service by empowering the magistrate to order work as a form of punishment that benefits the community. Under BNS, the guidelines with regard to implementation such as nature of work, number of working hours, place of work and supervisory mechanism are to be framed by the different states. In this article the researcher attempt to analyze the Community Service Guidelines notifed by various states and highlights difference in approaches with regard to monitoring mechanism, nature of work and place of work among states and union territories.
KEYWORDS:
Community Service, Imprisoment, Non-custodial sentences and Community Service Orders.
INTRODUCTION
Community corrections are non-custodial in nature and can used along with imprisonment to increase the chance of reformation of the offender. They are recognised in international human rights law as a non-custodial measures under Article 5 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights1, Article 7 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 16 of Convention Against Torture. Community Service is recommended under Kyoto Declaration on advancing crime prevention which aims to promote a rehabilitative environment in correctional facilities to facilitate the social reintegration of offenders with the active involvement of local communities.2 The Beijing Rules recommends community-based diversion is a viable alternative to detention,3 The Bangkok rules recommends implementation of diversionary measures and pretrial and sentencing alternatives wherever appropriate and possible.4 Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoner (1990) focuses on the participation and help of community and social institutions, with due regard to the interest of victims.5 Nelson Mandela Rules emphasises that “a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed only in the absence of other suitable alternative”.6
LITERATURE REVIEW
The concept of community service was introduced in the prison system by the report of Indian Jail Committee in its report of 1920,7 then in 1949, Pakwasa Committee8 suggested the system of wages for prisoners for their labour and effective use of prison labour is recommended along with remission as an incentive for the prisoner behaviour. In India, The Gujrat Prohibition Act, 1949 Mandates court to impose community service in lien of imprisonment, require such person to execute a bond with sureties containing such conditions in such form as may be prescribed, for rendering community service by subjecting himself to such medical treatment for getting freed from addiction of intoxicant.9 Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 authorizes the court to release a first-time offender charged of certain offences after due admonition or on probation of good conduct under the supervision of probation officer.10 The Law Commission of India in its 156th report consider community service as alternative punitive method.11 The Indian Penal Code Bill of 1978 introduced new forms of punishments including community service, order of payment of compensation and public censure.12 The Commission on Reforms on the Criminal Justice System, 200313 and Draft National Policy on Criminal Justice, 2006 recommended community service as an alternative to custodial punishment.14
The Internal Complaints Committee under Section 9 of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Rules, 2013 can recommend carrying out community service as a manner of taking action for sexual harassment.15 The Punishment for an employee for Sexual Harassment may include a written apology, warning, reprimand, censure, undergoing counseling or carrying out community service.16 For students, punishment includes awarding reformative punishment like mandatory counseling and or performance of community service. In the Higher Education department, Haryana notification, the defaulter may be given an option to undertake University Community Service, such as work at Library, Records, Security, Administration, Sports, Editorial work by the Discipline committee.17
The Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2019,18 Community service means an unpaid work which a person in required to perform as a punishment for an offence committed under Motor vehicle amendment act 2019.19 The Supreme Court in its report on Prisons in India, 2024 recommended the use of community service and highlighted the need for devising an efficient monitoring mechanism and defined rules for implementation of community service.20 Under The Uttarakhand Anti Littering and Anti-Spiting Act, Community Service means cleaning, Sweeping, Collecting litter, clearing graffiti from the walls or any other task notified by the urban local body.21 As per the act if a person unable to pay to computing amount/fine, can enroll for community service in the urban local body in lieu of compounding amount/fine. Community service or work for not more than give working days or 30 days under the supervision of the excise & Narcotics or police may be awarded by the magistrate under Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019.22 Model Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling), Cleanliness and Sanitation rules defines community service as a means to serve the community by sweeping of road, cleaning of walls, tree guard portion etc.23
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The present study adopts a doctrinal research design to analyze the community service guidelines across different states in India. The research is primarily analytical which seeks to map evolving legal landscape of Community Service Guidelines.
PRECEDENTS OF DIFFERENT COURTS
The Supreme Court in Babu Singh vs. State of Uttar Pradesh24 Identified the pivotal part of reformative and alternative devices for punishing the accused. The Supreme Court in Tr P.S. Lodhi, New Delhi vs. Sanjeev Nanda25, it was observed that serving the society is not a punishment in real sense wherein the convict pays back to the community. Some High Courts prescribe community service as a bail condition and in other orders while exercising their inherent powers.26 Few High Courts have imposed community service in cases involving petty offences,27 rash driving28 and contempt of court.29
In Babu Singh vs. State of Uttar Pradesh30, the Supreme Court identified the pivotal part of reformative and alternative devices for punishing the accused. The court identified “…meditative drills or study classes as a reformative or alternative device for punishing the accused”. The Apex court held that “restorative devices through means of community service, meditative drill or study classes should be innovated upon to redeem the offender”. In Nirbhay Singh v. State of U.P,31 the Allahabad High Court “…Courts have to keep in mind, is that our jails are overpopulated, and the prisoners are being maintained in jails, without necessary facilities. It has already been pronounced by the Supreme Court that a prisoner does not loose a right of basic necessisties of decent living, while undergoing sentence in jail. It is not a secret that condition in our jails are shabby and shoddy. Courts should, therefore, modulate their policies of sentencing accordingly and it is the time we look around for other punishments besides imprisonment in prison, like community service and other assignments of similar nature.”
In State of H.P. v. Reshar Kumar,32 the High Court order community service in a hospital for two hours till two months under the supervision of district welfare officer to comprehend the consequences of rash and negligent driving. In Nitin Saxena v. State,33 the court ordered community service of one hour, once a week for one year with an NGO, “Child Relief & You (CRY)” under the supervision of probation officer. In Kuldip Singh v. State of Haryana,34 the court ordered community service for four hours, twice a week for a period of three years at Civil Hospital, Hisar to make the offender understand the value of life. In Sunita Gandharv vs. State of Madhya Pradesh,35 the high court further re-established the significance of community service sentencing in India to reform the criminal law justice system.36 In Rakesh Kumar v. State of U.P,37 the court directed to do community service at Allopathy dispensary locating at high court campus, Lucknow. In Abhishek Rai v. State,38 the high court order to authorise “the municipal councils of Kullu and Manali and the Nagar Panchayat of Bhuntar to levy…Community Service for a repeat offender, by directing offender to clean the public area in and around the premises for a period of atleast one week and video of it to be produced in court”.
In Parameswaran v. State of Kerala,39 the Kerala High Court ordered a juvenile to perform community service working as a sweeper for 8 hours each on every Wednesday and Saturday. In the Medical College Hospital, Thrissur under the supervision of probation officer for three years. The Madhya Pradesh High-court in Sunita Gandharva vs. State of M.P. and Anr40, highlighted the importance of community service in the form that –“it gives a chance in some cases to melt the ego of an accused who is facing trial of those offences which gave psychic gains or peevish pleasures to the accused while committing such crimes…the accused can again be assimilated into the mainstream society and would be accepted by the community…ingrained attributes of Love, Compassion Mercy and Service can be rekindled through the concept of community service.” The court considered it fit to impose community service as “any other condition in the interest of justice” as per section 437(3) of CrPC over the accused or offender.
In the case of State Tr .P.S. Lodhi, New Delhi vs. Sanjeev Nanda41, it was observed by the apex court that convicts in various countries are voluntarily wanting to serve the community, however serving the society is not a punishment in the real sense wherein the convict pays back to the community, according to the facts of the case the convict had killed six human lives the court felt appropriate to award community service for two years as a sentence rather than incarcerating the convict further in jail. The high court of Gujarat in Vishal S Awtani vs. State of Gujarat42, has categorically discussed the question ‘what community service is’ whether it is a sentence or punishment or reparation or reformation, the court observed that community service is not a punishment in true sense but it is a kind of reparation. The court also pointed out in its order the various benefits of community service as a sentence, in its case, the court had directed the state to come out with a policy order that all those who people who are caught not wearing face masks as per the COVID19 guidelines shall be listed for community service, and all those violating the COVID-19 protocol shall be mandated to do community service at any COVID care center.
COMMUNITY SERVICE AS REQUISIITE FOR QUASHING COMPLAINTS
In Dr. Neha Padam Vs Central Bureau of Investigation43. The High Court of MP directed the petitioner to perform community service on every alternative Sunday for one year as the petitioner is a medical student in her post-graduation course in Ophthalmology. The petitioner is also asked to submit the report every third month before the court. In Salmanual Farish Vs the State of Kerala, the petitioner committed the crime as a juvenile and, was tried by JJB and was sent to a special children’s home for three years. But the petitioner is now 25 years of age and leading a disciplined life, probation officer opined that community service must be rendered, and the court accepted the suggestion of the probation officer and directed the petitioner for two hours every day for a period of one year in a Care center at District Headquarters Government Hospital under the supervision of Probation officer. In Ashutosh Vir Dhaval Meher and another V. Abdul Rahim44, Feb 22, 2019. The Bombay High court ordered community service between 11.00 a.m and 2.00 p.m on four consecutive Sundays from 03.03.2019 at Mahim Dargah and Mahim Kabraastan after parties jointly requesting for quashing of proceedings.
In Asalin Ambroz vs Frank Luis Lobo.45 The Bombay High Court quashed the criminal proceedings and ordered community service every Sunday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m for the period of three months at Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation Gujarati School. The court ordered the headmaster of the school to issue certificates of community service and asked the Senior Inspector of police of Mira Road police station to verify the same. In Parve Jilani Shaikh and anr vs State of Maharashtra & anr,46 the High Court of Maharashtra quashed the criminal proceedings and directed the petitioners to undertake community service at B.A.R.C Hospital once a week for a period of three months. The court directed the head of the Hospital to allocate appropriate works and issue a certificate after completion of community service. In Gurpreet Singh and others vs State of Punjab and ors,47 the High Court of Punjab and Haryana directed the petitioner to do community service in the Civil Hospital on every Saturday and Sunday for a period of six months.
ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE GUIDELINES
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 under section 4 prescribes community service as a punishment for public servant unlawfully engaging in trade, non-appearance in response to a proclamation, attempt to commit suicide to compel or restrain exercise of lawful power, theft, misconduct in public by a drunken person and defamation to which offenders are liable under the provisions of Sanhita. Magistrate of first class and magistrate second class may pass a sentence of community service under section 23 of Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, the provision explains “Community service” shall mean the work which the Court may order a convict to perform as a form ofpunishment that benefits the community, for which he shall not be entitled to any remuneration.
The Community Service Gudelines by the State of Assam prescribes the manual labour and clerical assistance works such Cleaning/maintenance, clerical work, removal of weeds from road side, tree plantation, traffic regulation at Governnment Hospitals, DLSA, Government Educational Instituties, Muncipal Corporation, Public offices, public parks or spaces, zoo/musemus and old age homes. The supervising authoirty is the officer incharge of the concerned public building and the sentence is monitored by District Social Welfare Officer.48
Bihar Community Service Rules, 2025 proposed a District and State Community Service Committe which constists of reprsentatives from the Judiciary, police, probations officers, social welfare departments and non govermental organization.49 The rules defined implementing agency as any governmental or non governmental organization, institution or authority recognized or authorized by the State government of Ditrict Comminity Service Committe.50 The rules also defined breach of Community Service Order as failure or refusal by the offender to comply the order by non attendance, unsatisfactory performance, misconduct etc.51 The Rules mandates the prior consent of the offender to perform the community service.52 The rules empowers the magistrate to direct the probation officer to submit an enquiry report to assess the suitablity of the offender and the avaliability of appropriate work.53 The rule enumuerats the responsibilties of Supervisory officers54 and functions of the Ditrict Community Service Committee.55 The rules also cast duty on the impleemeting agency to take appropriate measure to ensure the safety of offenders during community service.56
Community Service Guidelines of Union Territory Chandigarh defines Geo-tagged/GPS location enabled photograph/video57 and prescribes format of compliance report with biometic attendance record, geo-tagged photographs while rendering community service.58 The guidelines restricts community service sentence for first time offenders.59 For Juveniles the guidelines prescribe participation in National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS) or other vactional tranings. For women the guidelines defines nature of work as a assisting in Nari Niketan, Anganwadi centers, Creches, Mid day meal preperation and any other workplace suitable for women under the contorl of government, red cross society or NGO.
Chattisgarh Community Service Guideilnes prescribe monitoring by probation officer, restricts duration from one day to thirty one days and includes volunterring at Orphanages or Animal Shelters along with others cleaning/maintenance works.60
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu This Union Territory notified its guidelines in November 2025, similar the “standard model” found in other Union Territories. The guidelines prescribe a service duration of 1 to 31 days or 40 to 240 hours. Activities focus on the maintenance of government hospitals, libraries, and municipal areas, with supervision duties strictly assigned to officers incharge of public office. The guidelines also provide format of compliance of biometric attendance and GPS location enabled photographs.
Haryana Community Service Guidelines apply for BNSS, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and any other law providing for community service as a form of punishment. The Guidelines define Geo-tagged/GPS location enabled photograph/video, biometric attendance report and prescribes designated officer to monitor on day to day basis. The Guidelines required the specific timeframe within which the whole punishment of community service is to be completed and prefers Community Service to be awarded for first time offenders. Apart for specific guidelienes for juveniles and women, the guideines prescribe participation in government programmes/ schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Nasha Mukt Haryana and in development scheme of Government by way of Sharmdaan and any other welfare scheme/ Programme Government.61
The National Capital Territory of Delhi, the state of Goa and Kerala has operationalized community service through a notification listing 12 specific types of tasks, such as cleaning public parks and assisting in government hospitals. The time limit is fixed from 40 to 240 hours. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir permits the community service duration of 40 to 240 hours. The guidelines designate District Probation Officer as monitory authoirty.62 Ladakh notified its guidelines in April 2025, adhering to the 40–240 hour service block structure common to other Union Territories. The framework assigns the monitoring authority to the District Probation Officer and supervision to functional heads of the office.63
Lakshadweep’s guidelines (December 2025) emphasize environmental and educational contributions, listing tasks such as cleaning beaches, anti-poaching initiatives, and afforestation alongside teaching underprivileged children. The guideilnes exclude police officers from serving as supervising officers and prescribes responsibilies alignd with the educational purpose and physical ability. The guidelines mention court premises as a suitable locations for performing community service.64
The Maharashtra guidelines provide a highly structured framework with a service duration of 40 to 240 hours, capped at eight hours per day. The state has formalized the reporting mechanism through mandatory non-compliance formats and lists locations including zoos, museums, and public parks. Supervision is strictly mapped to “Authorizing Officers” such as Hospital Deans and Museum Curators. The designated monitoring authority is “Probation Officer”.65
The state of Manipur prescribes standard model of assigning 1 to 31 days of service. The District Probation Officer serves as the monitoring authority to whom the completion reports must be submitted.66 The state of Meghalaya67Mizoram68 and Nagaland69 guidelines mirror the trend by setting a service cap of 240 hours or 31 days. The state permits community service in diverse sectors, including cleaning and clerical assistance, maintenance work and traffic regulation monitored by District Probation Officer.
The Government of Odisha, in consultation with the High Court, issued guidelines in August 2025 that standardize the community service duration between 40 and 240 hours. The rules cover a broad spectrum of activities from casualty management in hospitals to clerical assistance in libraries. The guidelines explicitly mandate that the District Probation Officer or a state-appointed official monitor the offender’s performance.70
Puducherry outlines 16 specific categories of community service and unlike states with fixed statutory hour blocks the UT’s guidelines indicate that the “time period is to be specified by the respective Courts”. The guidelines prescirbe District Probation Officer as the monitoring authority responsible for issuing compliance reports.71
The Punjab Community Service Guidelines, 2025 includes work in social audit surveys and participation in government schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao alongside cleaning & maintenance tasks. The state explicitly mentions voluntary labor and grants the Competent Authority discretion to determine the nature of service based on the offender’s age, skill set, and physical capability. For juvelines and women they are specific guideilnes and there is a format of compliance of biometric attendance and GPS location enabled photographs.72
The state of Jharkhand,73 Rajasthan74 and Tamil Nadu75 prescribe service duration of one to thirty-one days, or alternatively, eight to 240 hours. The rules provide a comprehensive list of 16 permissible activities, including cleaning public parks, water bodies, and removing weeds from roadsides. The monitoring authority is Ditrict Probation Officer.
Tripura’s guidelines encourages judicial discretion to assign meaningful tasks such as assisting disaster management officials during natural calamities, distributing legal awareness leaflets, or serving in community health centers, serving in the community health centers and dispensaries. The time period is fixed by the court, monitoring authority is the officer incharge of the place and probation officer is the reporting authority for compliance of the community service order.76
Uttarakhand’s guidelines prescribes cleaning of seasonal or perennial water channels and garbage removal among permissible tasks. The state follows the standard administrative structure, empowering officials like Forest Rangers and Block Development Officers to supervise offenders and Probation officer being the monitoring authoirty submits compliance report to the court.77
Uttar Pradesh issued its notification in December 2025, adopting the standard model of 40 to 240 hours of community service. The guidelines list tasks such as traffic regulation and hospital maintenance, delegating the “Authorizing Officer” role to functional heads while assigning the District Probation Officer to ensure compliance and report back to the judicial magistrate.78
West Bengal’s guidelines distinguish themselves by explicitly codifying principles of dignity, safety, and privacy for the offender.79 The state employs a unique phased duration model, where service is capped at 100 hours per three-month block to ensure work-life balance.80 The offende must report to Probation Officers within 72 hours after awarding sentence.81 The offender can be placed in Government organisation or NGO and duriation of work per day is capped at 4 hours and 24 hours per week.82
| State / UT | Notification No. & Date | Nature of Work | Place of Work | Reporting / Monitoring Authority | Time Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assam | No. PLA-629332/8 (May 7, 2025) | Cleaning wards, library aid, removing weeds, traffic regulation, tree planting | Govt. Hospitals, Libraries, Schools, Municipal Boards, Police Stations, Zoos | District Social Welfare Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Bihar | No. 7253 (Oct 4, 2025) | Cleaning wards, OP management, trolley assistance, library maintenance, traffic regulation, cleaning public buildings | Govt. Hospitals, Legal Aid Clinics, Public Parks, Old Age Homes, Police Stations | District Probation Officer (Implementing Agency) | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Chandigarh | No. 539584-HIII(2)-2025/11337 (Aug 18, 2025) | Social audit surveys (potholes/dark spots), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, traffic regulation, geriatric help | Hospitals, Secretariats, Schools, Municipal Areas, Red Cross Society | Nodal Officer (authorized by Designated Officer) | Specified by Competent Authority (Court/Board) |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | No. DMN/PHQ/LC MC/DMR/2025/1552 (Nov 28, 2025) | Hospital maintenance, library assistance, weed removal, beach cleaning, zoo maintenance | Govt. Hospitals, Libraries, Schools, Beaches, Parks, Forest Dept. | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Haryana | No. 2/24/2024-5JJ(I) (Aug 16, 2025) | Social audits, participation in Nasha Mukt Haryana, traffic regulation, cleaning public places | Civil Hospitals, Mini Secretariats, Schools, Panchayats, Police Stations | Nodal Officer (authorized by Designated Officer) | Specified by Competent Authority (Court) |
| Jammu & Kashmir | S.O. 117 (May 5, 2025) | Cleaning wards, OP management, library aid, weed removal, traffic regulation, tree planting | Govt. Hospitals, Libraries, Schools, Municipalities, Police Stations, Forests | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Ladakh | S.O. 42 (Apr 11, 2025) | Hospital maintenance, clerical assistance, cleaning public buildings, traffic regulation | Govt. Hospitals, Legal Aid Clinics, Schools, Public Offices, Zoos | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Lakshadweep | No. 1/4/2025-Pol (Dec 12, 2025) | Forest conservation, anti-poaching initiatives, beach cleaning | Designated government-controlled areas, schools, public spaces | Probation Officer / Court | As specified by Court |
| Maharashtra | BNSS-0325/C.R.-36/Special-09 (Nov 28, 2025) | Cleaning wards, trolley assistance, weed removal, traffic regulation, zoo maintenance | Govt. Hospitals, DLSA Offices, Schools, Municipal Areas, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours (Max 8 hours/day) |
| Manipur | No. 2/12/2025-Leg/L(1) (Mar 12, 2025) | Hospital maintenance, library assistance, traffic regulation, tree planting, cleaning public parks | Govt. Hospitals, Educational Institutions, Municipal Councils, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Meghalaya | HPL 52/2024/Pt./160 (July 10, 2025) | Cleaning wards, OP management, library aid, weed removal, traffic regulation, zoo clerical assistance | Govt. Hospitals, Legal Aid Clinics, Schools, Municipal Boards, Zoos | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Mizoram | C-31012/9/2025-HM-Part(1) (July 1, 2025) | Hospital maintenance, library assistance, weed removal, traffic regulation, tree planting | Govt. Hospitals, DLSA Offices, Schools, Panchayats, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Nagaland | No. CON/MISC/2024 (Pt-II)(VOL-I) (Aug 8, 2025) | Cleaning wards, casualty management, library aid, weed removal, traffic regulation | Civil Hospitals, Revenue Circle Offices, Schools, Municipal Boards | District Social Welfare Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Odisha | No. 34881/CP&M (Aug 16, 2025) | Cleaning wards, OP management, library assistance, traffic regulation, tree planting | Govt. Hospitals, Legal Aid Clinics, Schools, Municipalities, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Puducherry | G.O.Ms.No.39 (June 16, 2025) | Hospital maintenance, library work, weed removal, traffic regulation, beach cleaning | Govt. Hospitals, Educational Institutions, Municipalities, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | Time period to be specified by the respective Courts |
| Punjab | No. 994 (Home-JD) (Sep 10, 2025) | Social audits, traffic regulation, participation in govt. schemes | Hospitals, Mini Secretariats, Schools, Municipal Areas, Red Cross | Nodal Officer (authorized by Designated Officer) | Exact number of hours/days specified by Court |
| Rajasthan | S.O. 23 (Sep 10, 2025) | Cleaning wards, library maintenance, weed removal, traffic regulation, water body cleaning | Govt. Hospitals, Legal Aid Clinics, Schools, Municipalities, Forests | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 8 to 240 hours |
| Tamil Nadu | G.O. Ms. No.301 (June 19, 2025) | Hospital maintenance, library aid, weed removal, traffic regulation, beach cleaning | Govt. Hospitals, DLSA Offices, Schools, Panchayats, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | Duration specified by the Court in the order |
| Tripura | No.F.55(8)-PD/2024/1179 (Apr 10, 2025) | Cleaning hospitals, assisting police in traffic, library management, disaster management assistance | Govt. Hospitals, Libraries, Schools, Municipal Areas, Public Offices | Probation Officer or designated officer | Duration specified by the Court in the order |
| Uttarakhand | No. 939/XX-2025 (June 30, 2025) | Cleaning wards, water channel cleaning (seasonal/perennial), weed removal, traffic regulation | Govt. Hospitals, Libraries, Schools, Municipalities, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| Uttar Pradesh | No. 2104/VI-P-9-2025 (Dec 26, 2025) | Hospital maintenance, library aid, weed removal, traffic regulation, zoo maintenance | Govt. Hospitals, DLSA Offices, Schools, Municipalities, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours |
| West Bengal | No. 1686-JL/JD/16M-20/2025 (Sep 9, 2025) | Cleaning wards, weed removal from water bodies, library aid, traffic regulation | Govt. Hospitals, Libraries, Schools, Municipalities, Police Stations | District Probation Officer or designated officer | 1 to 31 days OR 40 to 240 hours (Phased: 100 hrs/3 months) |
CONCLUSION
Community Service Guidelines have not yet been framed across all states in India. As of January 2026, guidelines remain unavailable for Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. However, Union Territories like Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and states such as Haryana and Punjab have introduced robust monitoring mechanisms, defining the use of Geo-tagged/GPS-enabled photographs and video, along with biometric attendance to ensure compliance. These jurisdictions also notably prescribe specific guidelines for juveniles and women, often involving assistance in government schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
Regarding the nature of work, while several states prescribe service at government offices, unique provisions exist: Chhattisgarh prescribes volunteering at animal shelters; Lakshadweep emphasizes environmental and educational contributions; Tripura encourages assisting disaster management officials during natural calamities; Uttarakhand includes the cleaning of seasonal or perennial water channels; and Bihar and West Bengal permit placement with NGOs.
Regarding supervision, apart from Assam (District Social Welfare Officer), Nagaland, and Punjab, the monitoring authority in most other states is the District Probation Officer. Bihar stands out as the only state to establish a ‘District Community Service Committee,’ outlining its specific functions and responsibilities. The Bihar rules also emphasize safety during enforcement, clearly define breaches of community service orders, and empower magistrates to seek inquiry reports from probation officers regarding the suitability and availability of work
