Rajasthan bill waits nod:Conversion

Rajasthan bill waits nod:Conversion

Context

• Rajasthan government’s Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which has been tabled in the state assembly, is in the eye of the storm.
• The bill seeks to replace the September 7 ordinance, which had drawn widespread criticism from several quarters.

What is the bill about?

• The bill seeks to protect serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants from being investigated for on-duty action, without its prior sanction.
• The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, seeks to protect serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in the State from being investigated for on-duty action, without government sanction.
• It also bars the media from reporting on such accusations till the sanction to proceed with the probe is given by the government.
• The amendment doesn’t mean that no case can be registered against public servants in police stations.
• For Within 180 days, an accepting official would have to ensure whether the case is tenable or not. If the allegations are found to be true, then the case would be allowed and action would be taken as per law

What are the criticisms regarding the bill?

• The move has been severely criticised by the Congress and the National People’s Party (NPP)
• The Editors Guild of India too opposed the “harmful ordinance” and demanded its withdrawal.
• The Editors Guild of India has asked the Rajasthan government to “withdraw the harmful ordinance” that bars the media from reporting on accusations against public servants, judges and magistrates without its sanction.

What Rajasthan government says about the controversial bill

• The state government said there is no provision in the bill to dilute the state government’s “zero tolerance” towards terror.
• The bill doesn’t talk about giving protection to corrupt public officials.