Bill passed to add more teeth to ‘Maintenance of Public Order Act’

kolkata: The West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed in the Assembly enabling the state government to attach the property of the accused involved in damaging the government or any private properties, looting or setting them on fire, so that compensations can be given to the victims by auctioning the attached properties.

The state will amend the existing West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1972 for enforcing deterrent punishment for the accused in case of offences like damaging properties both the government and private. The Bill contains the provision for attachment of the property of the accused by an order from the appropriate court for providing compensation to the victims. The Bill further provides provision for the realisation of funds selling in a public auction the attached property under this Act.

As per the provision of the Bill, the state government can attach any properties or an asset, tangible or intangible, corporeal or incorporeal, movable or immovable.

In case of any such incident, the victim can apply for compensation within 60 days from the day of the incident and the interim attachment of the property of the accused can be done within 180 days based on a judgment by any appropriate court of law.

The Bill has also provisions for creating funds for giving compensation to the victims.

The new Bill will allow the state to handle such cases more stringently.

The state will have the power to attach the property of the accused who will be involved in any such incidents.