Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has revealed that six organisations currently active in the state have already been banned in other states under similar security laws. His statement came during discussions on the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, which seeks to curb unlawful activities, particularly those linked to Left-Wing Extremism and urban Naxalism.
The bill, recently passed by the Assembly and set to be tabled in the Legislative Council, is modeled after similar laws in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha, where it has been used to clamp down on Naxal-affiliated groups. Maharashtra, Fadnavis noted, has 64 such organisations, with six already banned elsewhere.
The legislation empowers the state to declare organisations as unlawful if their actions threaten public order. It also introduces strict provisions, including cognisable and non-bailable offences, for enforcement and prosecution.
Fadnavis stressed that the law is aimed at groups that operate under the guise of democratic platforms while working to subvert the Constitution. He assured that the bill would not curtail the right to protest or dissent. The final draft incorporated feedback from nearly 12,000 public submissions and was reviewed by a joint select committee with members from both houses of the legislature.