State to withdraw 2021 Shakti Bill, to bring back in new avatar

More than three years after it was passed by the state legislature and after some uncertainty over its need, the state government has decided to push for a new version of the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment Bill), as it feels that the central government's three new laws, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), have no provisions that are as stringent as those proposed in the Shakti bill.

- Surendra P Gangan

MUMBAI:

The government is planning to table a fresh bill by withdrawing the existing bill in the monsoon session.

After the bill was passed in December 2021, it was sent to the central government for its assent, after which a back-and-forth ensued over several of its provisions. The Centre asked the Maharashtra government to wait until the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act were changed to the BNS, BNSS and BSA. The state government is now of the opinion that the three new laws, which came into existence on July 1 last year, do not do away with the need for a law like Shakti which exclusively deals with crime against women.

"We had sought the opinion of the law and judiciary department and director-general of police on the queries raised by the central government," said an official from the home department. "The state government is of the opinion that Shakti has stricter punishments than the existing laws and gives more powers to the police in investigation and prosecution. Such stricter provisions are needed to deal with crime against women."