Dec
11
Lok Sabha passes bill to repeal POTA
December 11, 2004 | Comments Off on Lok Sabha passes bill to repeal POTA
On December 6, the Lok Sabha (lower parliamentary house) approved the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Bill, and approved the bill to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). POTA has raised concerns because of issues such as its vague definitions of membership and support for “terrorist organizations,” its lack of pre-trial safeguards, and insufficient guarantees of rights at trial.
While the Government had little trouble in getting the approval of the House to pass the Bill to repeal POTA, it faced some embarrassment on the Unlawful Activities Prevention Bill. The Left, the SP (Samajwadi Party), and the BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) were of the view that the Bill contained certain provisions that were similar in nature to POTA and were likely to be misused.
Check out Amnesty International’s briefing on the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance, before it became an Act.
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