Govt to table Bill to amend Explosive Act

NEW DELHI, Nov 16: A Bill to amend the Explosive Substances Act, providing for capital punishment to those found guilty of carrying RDX and ...

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NEW DELHI, Nov 16: A Bill to amend the Explosive Substances Act, providing for capital punishment to those found guilty of carrying RDX and other highly explosive materials, is likely to be tabled in the winter session of the Parliament.

The Union Cabinet had already approved the measure and a Bill to this effect would "most probably” be introduced in the winter session, Home Minister L K Advani told reporters during an informal chat, after inaugurating a seminar on human rights here today.

Stating that the Bill was being prepared and would be introduced in the forthcoming session, Home Secretary B P Singh said that over 43,000 kg of RDX had been seized over the years in the country and the collective explosive power of the chemical could lead to unprecedented destruction.

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Singh said that the Government wanted to provide capital punishment for those in possession of high explosive materials, on the lines of the current Statute which provides death penalty for treason and drug trafficking.

The HomeSecretary said that the Centre was in the process of consultation with State Governments on enhancing the maximum punishment to the death sentence for rape. This process has been initiated, as the issue came under concurrent list, he said.

Asked about Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, Advani said Congress and Communists had come together on an “anti-JP platform” 25 years ago, when Jayprakash Narayan had launched a campaign against corruption.

“For the second time, they have come together on an anti-BJP platform,” he said, adding that there were no scams in the BJP rule, though there may be shortcomings.

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On the demand for transferring the case of the murder of Samata Party (SP) nominee Ved Singh to the CBI, Advani said it was not referred to CBI, as such a move would only delay investigation. The Government’s intention was to apprehend the culprits at the earliest, he said, adding that five people had already been arrested by the police.