Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in Rajasthan today sent the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2017 to a Select Committee. Congress has protested in the state Assembly after tabling of the controversial bill that seeks to protect public servants and judges from prosecution and bar the media from reporting on allegations against them without its prior sanction. Journalists also held a protest march to Rajasthan assembly against the Bill. Meanwhile, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has lauded the state government’s latest decision, saying, “Smart move by Vasundara to send the Bill to Select Committee of the Vidhan Sabha. She has demonstrated her democratic nature.”

The Rajasthan government yesterday had tabled the bill. The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Assembly by Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria to replace an ordinance promulgated on September 7. It seeks to shield both serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in the BJP-ruled state from being investigated for on-duty action without the government’s approval. Today was the first day of the 9th session of the Assembly.

A political slugfest has erupted between BJP and Congress over this. The state government while defending the bill said the measure was required to put an end to what it called an end to frivolous litigations against public servants.

Watch this video

On the other hand, activist Bhagwat Gour had filed a petition in the Jaipur bench of the high court challenging the ordinance, calling it “arbitrary and mala fide”. The petition contends that the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, was “in contravention of fundamental rights as enshrined under Part-III of the Constitution of India”, said Gour’s counsel A K Jain.