Gujarat Revamps Crime Law: Dropping Terror Provisions

The Gujarat legislative assembly has passed an amendment to the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act, 2015, to remove references to terrorism. This change aims to avoid overlap with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which now addresses terrorism comprehensively. The revised law will focus solely on organised crime.

The Gujarat legislative assembly moved decisively on Wednesday to update a critical piece of legislation. The newly passed amendment to the 2015 Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act excludes terrorism-related provisions, aligning state law with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Minister Arjun Modhwadia introduced the bill, which gained full bipartisan support, including from the opposition Congress. The amendment aligns Gujarat's legal framework with recent national updates that now define terrorism more comprehensively, eliminating redundancy and legal ambiguity.

The revised law narrows its focus solely to organised crime, ensuring that offences are handled within the appropriate legal structure. This legislative change aims to enhance legal clarity and effectiveness in combating organised crime in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)