Centre in no hurry to clear state terror Bills

Sources say a decision has been taken that since all the proposed laws by states have many provisions similar to the now-repealed Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), 2002, it would not clear them.

The proposed laws that are stuck in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs are the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2003; the Rajasthan Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2006; the Madhya Pradesh Aatankvadi Evam Uchhedak Gatividhiyan Tatha Sangathit Apradh Nayantran Vidheyak (Control of Terrorism, Unlawful Activities and Organised Crime Bill), 2007; the Uttar Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2007; and the Andhra Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2006.

According to sources, while the Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh laws are pending for consideration by the President, those cleared by Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are waiting to be approved before they are introduced in the state legislatures.

Of the states awaiting clearance of their anti-terror laws, the case of Naxal-hit Andhra Pradesh, which is being ruled by the Congress, is the most strange. For, the Andhra Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2006, is simply a copy of the Andhra Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Act, 2001, which was in force from 2001-04. Since the law was to be in force for a period of three years only, the Andhra Pradesh Government sent a fresh Bill of the law to the Union Government for approval, but without any time limit. In Gujarat, though the state legislature enacted a revised version after the President returned the original law for reconsideration, the Centre has refused to clear the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2003.

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