Maha legislative panel receives record 12k objections to Public Security Bill

MUMBAI: The controversial Special Public Security Bill, 2024, has received an unprecedented 12,750 suggestions and objections, the highest ever in the history of the state legislature. They were sought by a 25-member joint select committee (JSC) comprising members of both houses of the legislature. The panel will deliberate upon the objections and suggestions at a meeting on May 21.

The JSC is expected to invite representatives of more than 100 organisations that have flagged the bill as “anti-democracy” and unconstitutional. More than 90% of the responses oppose the proposed legislation.

The bill, tabled in July, after the Lok Sabha elections last year, was later sent to the JSC, which has held two meetings so far. The number of suggestions and objections is the highest-ever for a draft bill in Maharashtra, topping the 700-odd suggestions and objections received by the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment Bill) tabled in 2020 for effective action in crimes against women.

The Special Public Security Bill, 2024, gives the state sweeping powers to act against “urban naxals”. Justifying the bill, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has claimed that Naxalism is no longer confined to remote areas and has reached the cities through frontal organisations.

The draft legislation has, however, been slammed by civil society, which has pointed to the potential for such a law to be misused by being invoked against individuals voicing dissent against the state. Many have called it a violation of human rights.

“We have bifurcated the suggestions and objections into different categories based on the nature of the objections. Over 90% of them object to the law and the objections have been raised, section-wise, with elaborative (sic) reasoning. We have put them under categories as per the nature of the objections raised,” said an official from the state legislature.

According to home department officials, the Mahayuti government hopes to get the bill passed during the monsoon session of the state legislature, starting on June 30. “Most of the objections are similar to each other. The opposition is because of the misleading information spread about the bill. The JSC will try to weed out these misconceptions during the deliberations,” said the officer.

Ulka Mahajan, state convenor of the Bharat Jodo Andolan, said their opposition to the bill continues. “After a huge response to our protests at 78 locations in 36 districts, there will be a huge march to the Vidhan Bhavan on June 30, the first day of the monsoon session. Organisations are of the opinion that it is not a Public Security Act but a bill drafted by the government to promote suppression and autocratic rule. The bill gives the government exhaustive powers to act against any organisation, for anything, and in fact it is aimed at suppressing dissident voices,” she said.