Question : COMMUNAL VIOLENCE BILL

(a) whether the ‘Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005’ has been finalised by the Union Government;

(b) if so, the details and the salient features thereof;

(c) whether the Union Government has received suggestions/comments and memoranda from the State Governments/organisations against the said Bill;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Union Government thereon;

(e) whether the Union Government has any proposal to bring about amendments in the Bill;

(f) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and

(g) the time by which the Bill is likely to be enacted?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI R.P.N. SINGH)

(a) & (b): The Government introduced a Bill titled ‘The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005’ in the Rajya Sabha on 5.12.2005. The salient features of the said Bill, inter-alia, include, provision for declaration of certain areas as communally disturbed areas by the State Governments, measures for prevention of acts leading to communal violence, enhanced punishment for offences relating to communal violence and for certain other offences, provision for speedy investigation and trial of offences through Special Courts; institutional arrangements for relief and rehabilitation measures for victims of communal violence, provision for compensation to the victims of communal violence and provision for special powers to the Central Government in certain cases, etc.

(c) & (d): A number of recommendations/ suggestions regarding the provisions of the Bill were received from various civil society groups and stakeholders. These recommendations/ suggestions were examined in consultation with Ministry of Law & Justice.

(e) & (f): The Government proposed amendments to the Bill primarily in acceptance of most of the recommendations made by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs to whom the Bill was referred by the Rajya Sabha. Notices were given in March, 2007 and several times thereafter in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passing of the Bill. However, the Bill could not be taken up for consideration on these occasions.

(g): No timeframe for the enactment of the Bill could be given.