The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Rajasthan has passed an ordinance barring courts from taking up cases against public servants, including legislators, minister and officials, without its sanction. The ordinance passed by the Vasundhara Raje-led government has also banned the media from naming the public servant till it allows the case to be investigated, PTI reported.
The state made the changes to the criminal procedure code on September 7. The ordinance covers private complaints against a public servant’s official work. Former public servants are also eligible for protection under this ordinance, NDTV reported.
The state Assembly is expected to approve the ordinance on October 23. The BJP has 162 of the 200 seats in the house.
Under the ordinance, government gets 60 days to decide if a court should hear a matter against a public servant. “No magistrate shall order an investigation nor will any investigation be conducted against a person, who is or was a judge or a magistrate or a public servant,” the ordinance states.
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