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Gujarat Assembly Passes Draconian Bill
June 4, 2004 | Comments Off on Gujarat Assembly Passes Draconian Bill
The Gujarat Assembly passed a bill that resembles POTA, to ensure the continued detention of the Godhra accused in the event that POTA is repealed. The Opposition had walked out prior to the passing of the bill. Three sections were deleted on the advice of President Abdul Kalam:
The Gujarat Assembly today passed the amended Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Bill (GUJCOC), arming the BJP Government in the State with an alternative in the event of the Centre repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) with retrospective effect….
The Bill was passed after deleting three Sections, 14, 15 and 16, which had given blanket powers to the District Collectors and the District Superintendents of Police to interrupt and record telephone and other means of communication of the suspects and accused under the Act….
The Bill has almost all the provisions of POTA, including the authority to hold the accused in jail without trial and provisions giving jurisdiction only to special courts to try the cases under the Act.
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