SC Flags Major Flaws in UP Gangsters Act, Warns of Misuse
· India · Times of India, The Hindu, Indian Express
The Supreme Court on Thursday highlighted serious flaws in the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, stating it lacks safeguards against misuse for vindictive actions against innocents. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran noted the law permits detention and punishment based on inclusion in a 'Gang Chart' without defining a clear offence, likening it to a flawed process where individuals are labeled and punished without due procedure. The court emphasized that while curbing criminal gangs is necessary, the Act fails to meet basic judicial standards and allows punishment determined by administrative whims. The specific concerns raised include the absence of defined crimes within the statute and the reliance on non-statutory Gang Charts for imprisonment, which the court found constitutionally problematic.
Why it matters
This ruling has immediate implications for legal safeguards in Uttar Pradesh, where individuals could be unfairly detained or prosecuted without clear legal definitions of crime, risking a potential surge in false accusations and human rights violations.
Read the original report — Times of India
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