West Bengal set to bring 2 bills to deal with public disorder, attacks on police personnel

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government is set to introduce two bills in the Assembly aimed at dealing strictly with public disorder, vandalism and attacks on police personnel and public servants, a senior official said on Sunday.The official said that the home department is likely to place the proposed legislations before the state Cabinet for approval on Monday.The bills are expected to be introduced during the Budget Session of the Assembly, the senior official at the state secretariat said.“The objective is not only to maintain law and order but also to ensure public safety.

There have been repeated instances where police personnel, administrative officials and even central forces have come under attack while performing their duties,” the official told PTI.One of the proposed bills seeks to amend the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1972, which deals with riots, arson, looting, use of explosives and other activities that threaten public order, he said.The amendment is expected to broaden the scope of the existing law and grant additional powers to the administration and police to deal with such offences, the official added.“The second proposal is a new legislation titled the Public Safety Control and Anti-Social Activity Bill,” he said.Unlike the existing law, which primarily focuses on maintaining law and order, the proposed bill aims to strengthen public safety and address anti-social activities in a more comprehensive manner, the official explained.West Bengal has witnessed several incidents in which police stations and government offices were targeted by anti-social elements.

In some cases, police personnel and officers were reportedly forced to take shelter from violent mobs.Following the recent vandalism in Falta, where some locals allegedly led by the wife of arrested Trinamool Congress leader Jahangir Khan tried to storm the local police station to secure his release, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari had indicated that his government was working on a stringent legal framework to prevent such incidents.“The law was in cold storage.

We are bringing it out and activating it.

The Home Department is bringing in more stringent laws in this Budget Session.“With such laws in place, people will think five times before taking the law into their own hands,” Adhikari had said.The bureaucrat said the proposed legislation draws from similar laws in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, although the scope and definitions vary.In Uttar Pradesh, such laws largely target organised crime syndicates, land-grabbing and extortion networks, while Maharashtra’s framework focuses on activities linked to extremist and anti-state organisations.

Gujarat has enacted laws aimed at tackling organised crime and terror-linked networks, he said.The proposed bill may also include provisions allowing authorities to recover compensation for damage to public or private property from convicted offenders.“In such cases, the assets of those found guilty could be sold to compensate for losses caused during violence or vandalism,” the senior official said.The home department is in the final stages of preparing the draft legislation, he added.(With inputs from PTI)You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in KolkataStay updated with the latest Kolkata news.

Download the TOI App.