President gives assent to amendments to UAPA; individuals can now be declared as terrorists
New Delhi:President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to a legislation under which individuals can be declared as terrorists and their properties seized, officials said on Friday.
The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019 also provides for putting travel ban on such individuals once they are declared as terrorists.
The President gave his assent to the legislation late on Thursday night, a home ministry official said.
The Lok Sabha had passed the amendment Bill on July 24 and the Rajya Sabha on August 2.
India's most wanted, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, are likely to be the first two individuals to be designated as terrorists under the legislation, the officials said.
The amendments give powers to the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to attach properties acquired from proceeds of terrorism.
Earlier, the law required that the NIA take prior permission from the respective state police chief to attach the proceeds of terrorism. This delays the process as often such properties are in different states, another official said.
Earlier, officers in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and above were empowered to investigate cases under the UAPA as per Section 43. Now, officers in the rank of Inspector are empowered to do so.
The inspector-rank officers have over time acquired sufficient proficiency to investigate UAPA-related cases and this move would quicken the delivery of justice in such cases, which are reviewed by senior officers at various levels.
Home Minister Amit Shah had said the law, that would be used only to tackle terror, would help agencies remain four steps ahead of terrorists.
Shah said terrorist acts are committed not by organisations but by individuals.
Declaring an organisation as a terrorist organisation will not stop the individuals behind it.
Not designating individuals as terrorists would give them an opportunity to circumvent the law and they would simply gather under a different name and keep up their terror activities, he said.
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Congress’ downfall will start from Baramati if it doesn’t let Sunetra Pawar win unopposed: Bawankule
Nagpur (PTI): The Congress will have to face consequences if it doesn't allow NCP president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar to win the Baramati assembly bypoll unopposed, said minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday.
The party’s “downfall” will start from Baramati, he said, stressing that the people of Baramati and Maharashtra wish that she is elected unopposed, said the BJP leader.
The April 23 bye election was necessitated after the tragic death of deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who headed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28. After his death, his wife Sunetra became the party president.
The NCP, BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are partners in the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the state.
“The Congress will face consequences if it doesn’t let Sunetra win unopposed from Baramati. Its downfall will start from Baramati if it doesn’t withdraw its candidate,” Bawankule told reporters in Nagpur.
Amid efforts to ensure an unopposed contest, the Congress has fielded advocate Akash More for the bypoll.
The party had said that it would withdraw from the contest only if an FIR were registered in Ajit Pawar’s death in the Baramati plane crash.
Replying to another question, Bawankule said the BJP’s performance will be more robust in Assam and Kerala elections compared to the last assembly polls in these states. Assembly polls are being held in a single phase in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on Thursday.
“These elections will once again show Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership commanding support among the people,” he said.
