GUJARAT ANTI-TERROR BILL (2015)

GUJARAT ANTI-TERROR BILL (2015) 

The Gujarat Government on Tuesday passed a historic Bill which aims at curbing terrorist activities the new Bill is said to be a filtered version of "Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Bill (GUJCOC)", 2003,GUJCOC was returned twice to the State legislature in 2004 and 2008 by then Presidents A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Devi singh Patil respectively

The new Bill provides Autonomy to the police and state to take necessary steps in order to curb terrorism some of its provisions are similar to those in erstwhile anti-terror laws Tada and Pota that were widely misused

CRUCIAL POINTS OF GUJARAT ANTI-TERROR BILL (2015):-

1-The Bill makes “evidence collected through the interception of wire, electronic or oral communication” admissible in the court.

2-The legislation makes offences under the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act, 2015, non-bailable. Clause 20 (4) of the Bill states,

3-It provides immunity to the State government from legal action. Clause 25 of the Bill states, “No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the State government or any officer or authority of the State government for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act.”

4-The Gujarat Control of Terror-ism and Organised Crime Bill, 2015 also empowers police to tap phone conversations and use them as evidence in court, to extend the custody of an accused from the current 90 days to 180 days without filing a charge sheet

PREVIOUS LAWS BY INDIAN GOVT TO COMBAT TERRORISM:-

Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 (POTA)- This Act was passed by the parliament in 2002 ,the year when terrorist attack on parliament took place.This act was passed with the sole objective to curb terrorist actvities by providing special powers to the investigating authorities describes under the act.This act replaced all major anti-terrorist act as Prevention Of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO 2001) and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities TADA (1985-95)

Terrorist and Disruptive Activities(TADA) 1985-95:- It was the first anti-terrorism law by the Govt. which could defined and counter terrorism. It was in force for ten years 1985-1995 parallel to punjab insurgency

Defination of a Terrorist according to "TADA"

"Whoever with intent to overawe the Government as by law established or to strike terror in the people or any section of the people or to alienate any section of the people or to adversely affect the harmony amongst different sections of the people does any act or thing by using bombs, dynamite or other explosive substances or inflammable substances or lethal weapons or poisons or noxious gases or other chemicals or by any other substances (whether biological or otherwise) of a hazardous nature in such a manner as to cause, or as is likely to cause, death of, or injuries to, any person or persons or loss of, or damage to, or destruction of, property or disruption of any supplies or services essential to the life of the community, or detains any person and threatens to kill or injure such person in order to compel the Government or any other person to do or abstain from doing any act, commits a terrorist act.

MAJOR TERRORIST ATTACKS IN INDIA:-

• Indian Parliament Attack:13 December 2001
• Delhi Serial Bombings: 29 October 2005
• Varanasi Bombings: 7 March 2006
• Malegaon Blasts: 8 September 2006
• Mumbai Train Bombings: 11 July 2006
• Jaipur Bombings: 13 May 2008
• Bangalore Serial Blasts: July 25, 2008
• Mumbai Terrorist Attack:26 November 2008
• Germen Bakery Bomb Blast -Koregaon Park Pune: 13th February 2010
• Top 10 Most dangerous countries of the world based on CTI (country Threat Index) Reportprepared by US based "think tank Intel Centre" which has been providing as been counter terrorism intelligence services for more than 20 years

1-Iraq

2-Nigeria

3-Somalia

4-Afghanistan

5-Yemen

6-Syria

7-Libya

8-Pakistan

9-Egypt

10-Kenya