- Maharashtra assembly passed the Special Public Security bill by voice vote on Thursday
- The bill targets unlawful activities of Left Wing extremist groups, focusing on urban Naxalism
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the law will not be misused or abused
The Maharashtra legislative assembly on Thursday passed by a voice vote the Special Public Security bill which seeks to prevent unlawful activities of Left Wing extremist organisations with focus on urban Naxalism.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, tabled the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill in the lower house.
It had been cleared with amendments by a joint select committee of both houses of the state legislature, Fadnavis said, assuring that when it comes into effect, the new law will not be misused.
Opposition parties had raised objections on some aspects of the bill, including what they claimed was an expansive interpretation of the term "urban Naxal". The bill is yet to be tabled in the legislative council.
The safety and security of the state and country were important, and to curb the activities of organisations which work against the country's democracy and the Constitution was the need of the hour, Fadnavis said.
"There will be no abuse of power. It is a balanced piece of legislation, and more progressive than the law in force in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand," he said.
No member of the joint select committee sounded a dissenting note against the bill, the chief minister added.
While tabling the bill, Fadnavis said more than 12,500 suggestions received from the public were taken into consideration while preparing its final draft.
The bill includes provisions for an 'Advisory Board', which will be headed by the Chief Justice of the High court or a retired chief justice.
Members of the board will be district magistrates or high court government pleaders, while the investigating officer in cases registered under the law will be of the rank of a superintendent of police instead of a police sub-inspector.
The bill was reintroduced in the last winter session of the assembly and sent to the joint select committee.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
