Supreme Court Finds Fault With Uttar Pradesh Gangsters Act, Calls Law Stillborn
· India · The Hindu, Indian Express
The Supreme Court has criticized the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, describing the 1986 legislation as "stillborn" because it penalizes individuals merely for being labelled a gangster without defining a valid legal offence. A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran noted that the law is highly prone to misuse and could be invoked against unsuspecting citizens. The Court highlighted that invoking the anti-gangster law to address a single communal violence incident stemming from a social media post constitutes misuse. The top court made interim bail absolute for MLA Abbas Ansari in connection with the case. The bench also quoted author George Orwell while discussing the implications of state-backed violence and criminal gang legislation.
Why it matters
The Supreme Court's ruling curbs the potential misuse of special state anti-crime laws against ordinary citizens and sets a significant legal precedent for personal liberty in Uttar Pradesh.
Read the original report — The Hindu
Join us on Telegram
Breaking news the moment it lands. At 10,000 members we ship the Android app.