Steps to curb misuse of POTA

 Individuals booked under the anti-terrorism law can now turn to the committee whose orders will be binding on the central and state governments and investigative authorities.

 Following reports that states like Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh had booked 90 year olds and 14 years olds under POTA, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had resolved that misuse of the Act must be stopped.

 This is ironic considering the BJP was the greatest proponent and backer of POTA.

 However, realising that state governments were misusing the law to book even itinerant criminals if sufficient evidence against them was lacking, the BJP announced that it would support moderation of the Act.

 An Ordinance to give teeth to the review committee would be promulgated by the President and a Bill to replace it would be moved by the government in the winter session of Parliament, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said.

 While the three-member central review committee was headed by Justice Arun Saharya, states could also set up such committees to deal with complaints lodged by those charged with POTA, she said.

 In case a petition seeking review of POTA charges was moved both before the central and state review committee and there were conflicting findings, the decision of the central committee would be binding on the central, state and the investigation officials, she said describing the Ordinance a