Maharashtra Assembly passes Special Public Security Bill targeting urban Naxals. CM Fadnavis assures it’s a balanced law and won’t be misused.
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill by a voice vote on Thursday, July 10. This bill is aimed at preventing the unlawful activities of Left Wing extremist groups, especially focusing on urban Naxalism.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also handles the Home Department, presented the bill in the lower house.
He informed the Assembly that the bill had already been approved with amendments by a joint select committee of both the houses of the state legislature. Addressing concerns, he assured the house and the public that
“there will be no abuse of power”.
Opposition parties did raise concerns about certain parts of the bill. They particularly objected to what they called a broad interpretation of the term “urban Naxal”, fearing possible misuse.
However, Fadnavis defended the bill, stating that
“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.”
He further emphasized that
“it is a balanced piece of legislation, and more progressive than the law in force in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand.”
He also clarified that
“no member of the joint select committee sounded a dissenting note against the bill.”
The Chief Minister revealed that while drafting the final version of the bill, the government had taken over 12,500 suggestions from the public into account.
He said that the state had tried to incorporate meaningful input from citizens in order to ensure the law remains fair, transparent, and effective.
The bill also contains a provision to set up an ‘Advisory Board’. This board will be headed by either the Chief Justice of the High Court or a retired Chief Justice.
Other members of the board will include district magistrates and High Court government pleaders.
Another important change is that cases under this law will be investigated only by police officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP), instead of sub-inspectors, to ensure higher levels of accountability and professionalism.
The bill was reintroduced during the last winter session of the assembly and later sent to the joint select committee for review and amendments.
It is still awaiting presentation in the Legislative Council (the upper house).
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