Kerala government introduces new bill against Bandh

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 23: Kerala government is ready with a draft bill that is intended to save the common public from all kind of problems created by hartals and hartal supporters.

The decision on drafting the bill was made by the government following directives from High Court of Kerala. The bill enforces many constraints on hartals.

A notification of three days would be a requirement to conduct hartals.

An advance notification of three days should be given toublic and organisations who will be affected by hartals through the media.

According to the draft, shops and commercial organisations cannot be put under the before 6 am and after 6 pm time constraints. But this is not applicable to hartals or strikes called by trade unions and other service unions.

The draft gives the government power to cancel a proposed hartal. The government can cancel hartal if the proposed hartal would affect essential services informed by the government.

The bill also states that nobody should be forced or threatened either through physical or psychological means to take part in a hartal. Educational and religious institutions and other public services should not be hampered and violence should be avoided.

The safety of the citizen and public property is the responsibility of the state. Complaint from the citizen should be considered and police should act upon that.

A punishment of six months or Rs 10,000 or both will be given to the one who violates the rules.
The same charges is applicable to those who discourage people from working and prevent access to them from essential services such as hospitals, fuel supply etc.

Those police officers who do not help the people when asked for help can be charged Rs 10,000 for negligence of duty.

OneIndia News