A new anti-terrorism Ordinance banning 23 terrorist...

A new anti-terrorism Ordinance banning 23 terrorist outfits was promulgated. The home ministry said the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (Poto) had built-in safeguards to make it more humane for the innocent. It is the first comprehensive legal salvo to deal with terrorism and terrorist organisations.
The Union home secretary, Kamal Pande, said after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the USA there was need for special measures. Poto provides for a jail term of up to 10 years for any person having links with banned organisations, the death penalty if the terrorist act resulted in the death of a person and a minimum sentence of five years, extendable to life imprisonment, for any other act.
The new ordinance will have to be approved by Parliament during the Winter Session, beginning on November 19. The Union government appears confident that it will be able to persuade the Opposition to support the Bill in Parliament. However, the opposition Congress and Left vowed to defeat what they called the draconian Ordinance in Parliament.