VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Mar 20: Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais has returned the draft of the ‘Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021’ to the state government with certain objections and queries.
The Governor has raised objections over the definition of the mob as given in the bill since it is not in line with the well-defined legal lexicon.
He has said that a group of two and more than two persons can’t be brought within the definition of a violent mob since mob means a large number of persons who have gone uncontrolled and violent. The Governor has asked the Hemant Soren government to redefine the mob.
While returning the bill, the Governor has said that there were discrepancies in the text of the bill provided to his office in English as well as in Hindi. For instance, the English text of the bill refers to provisions related to the protection of the witnesses of such mob lynching cases. But it is missing in the Hindi text of the bill which can create legal complications. The Governor has directed the government to present the bill before him after necessary corrections as pointed out.
Notably, this bill was passed during the winter session of the assembly in December last year as in Jharkhand some cases of vigilante justice were reported. The law prescribes punishment ranging from three years in jail to life imprisonment besides fine and attachment of property.
It further prescribes punishments to people for creating a ‘hostile environment’ for the victim. It envisages financial compensation to the victim’s family and free medical treatment of victims of mob violence and mob lynching.
But the BJP and several outfits opposed the bill and demanded the Governor not to give his assent. The Governor held legal opinions and also examined similar legislation passed by other states.
Recently, during the budget session of the assembly, the Hemant Soren government said that between 2016 and 2021, a total of 46 cases of mob lynching took place in Jharkhand and 51 accused were convicted to life imprisonment in 11 cases where the trial was completed.
The government said that so far, Rs 19.90 lakhs has been given to the families of several victims.
