Maharashtra initiates process to withdraw social and political agitation cases

The Maharashtra government has initiated the process to withdraw social and political agitation cases, the Legislative Council was told Monday. Minister of State for Home (Rural) Deepak Kesarkar said the state government had received several requests in this regard. 

"The government has received requests for withdrawing cases of political and social nature. The action for the withdrawal of such cases is in progress," Kesarkar said. He was responding to a calling attention motion tabled by Shiv Sena MLC Gopikishan Bajoria. Kesarkar said the recommendations to take back such cases were received from legislators or from a "higher level". 

"Reports are requisitioned from the committees working in the commissionerate/district collectorates in the matter," he said. The minister said in some cases reports are not received within the time limit while in others, the local administration has recommended against taking bach such cases," he said. 

Kesarkar said a cabinet sub-committee under finance minister has been constituted to decide about the withdrawal of social and political agitation cases under section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973.

(With inputs from agencies.)