கல்வி நிறுவனமொன்றின் மாணவருக்கோ ஊழியருக்கோ உடல் அல்லது உள ரீதியாக ஊறுவிளைவிக்கும் அல்லது மனவலியையோ அச்சத்தையோ ஏற்படுத்தும் எந்தவொரு செயலும், இலங்கையில் – பகடிவதை (Ragging) என அழைக்கப்படுகின்றது.
1998ஆம் ஆண்டின் 20ஆம் இலக்க சட்டத்தின் கீழ், பகிடிவதைகள் மற்றும் கல்வி நிலையங்களில் நடைபெறும் ஏனைய வன்செயல்கள் தொடர்பான விடயங்கள், குற்றம் எனக் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.
அதற்கிணங்க, பகிடிவதையை மேற்கொள்ளும் ஒருவருக்கு 10 வருடங்கள் வரை சிறைத்தண்டனையும், பாதிக்கப்பட்டவருக்கு பொருத்தமான நட்டஈட்டையும் நீதிபதி வழங்க முடியும்.
20 of 1998.
AN ACT to eliminate Ragging and other Forms of Violence, and Cruel, Inhuman and degrading Treatment, from Educational Institutions.
[Date of Commencement: 29th April, 1998]
1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act.
2. Ragging.
(1) Any person who commits, or participates in ragging, within or outside an educational institution, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate be liable, to rigorous imprisonment for a term, not exceeding two years and may also be ordered to pay compensation of an amount determined by the court, to the person in respect of whom the offence was committed for the injuries caused to such person.
(2) A person who, whilst committing ragging causes sexual harassment or grievous hurt to any student or a member of the staff, of an educational institution shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate be liable to imprisonment for a term, not exceeding ten years and may-also be ordered to pay compensation of an amount determined by the court, to the person in respect of whom the offence was committed for the injuries caused to such person.
3. Criminal intimidation.
Any person who, within or outside an educational institution, threatens, verbally or in writing, to cause injury to the person, reputation or property of any student or a member of the staff, of an educational institution (in this section referred to as "the victim”) or to the person, reputation or property of some other person in whom the victim is interested, with the intention of causing fear in the victim or of compelling the victim to do any act which the victim is not legally required to do, or to omit to do any act which the victim is entitled to do, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate be liable to rigorous imprisonment for a term, not exceeding five years.
