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Govt. may tone down POTO
By Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, DEC. 6. In an effort to enlist wider parliamentary support for the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO), the Union Cabinet today discussed the possibilities of toning down some of the provisions of the proposed law, including the much-talked about ``anti-media'' clauses.
The Cabinet, which met late this evening, on the eve of the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee's Japan trip, took a second look at the proposed legislation. Since Parliament is in session, there was no official word on the decision reached in the Cabinet. The details of the amendments agreed upon will be revealed only when the Government introduces the Bill in the Lok Sabha next week.
However, it is understood that the Government has made up its mind to dilute Section 3(8) and Section 14 in a manner as to allay the apprehensions in the media community. Section 3(8) of the Ordinance, promulgated by the President on October 24, had sought to provide one-year jail term for anyone who failed ``to disclose (terrorist-related) information as soon as reasonably practicable to the police''.
Similarly, Section 14 says, ``the investigating officer may require'' anyone to ``furnish information in their possession in relation to such (terrorist) offence''. The two clauses had been widely criticised as potentially inimical to the freedom of the Press.
The demand for these changes has been most effectively voiced by the Vajpayee Government's crucial ally, the Telugu Desam. In his remarks at the Chief Minister's Conference on Internal Security on November 17 last, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu ``invited special attention to the provisions of Section 3(8) and Section 14 of the Ordinance. I urge that these sections be suitably modified to protect the freedom of the Press which is the hallmark of a Parliamentary Democracy.'' Mr. Naidu had also demanded that ``the validity for the legislation be reduced from five years to three years.''
The Prime Minister was keen to give the impression, if he could help it, that the country's political opinion backed his Government. In fact, Mr. Vajpayee had given sufficient indication of the mellowed-down approach earlier at an Iftar function.
Unlike some of his ministerial colleagues who had aggressively talked about summoning a joint session of the two Houses of Parliament in order to overcome the Government's lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Vajpayee pointedly refused to say anything about a ``joint session''. Mr. Vajpayee noted that his Government would continue to strive for requisite consensus for a new anti-terrorist legal regime.
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