‘7’

PRESIDENT RE-PROMULGATES TWO MORE ORDINANCES

    The Second Passport (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001, which seeks to amend the Passport Act, 1967, provides for suspension or revokation of passport and travel document of anti-social elements, terrorists and subversives initially for four weeks subject to further extension of time of suspension and thereafter due process of law. This Ordinance replaces the earlier Ordinance promulgated on October 23, 2001 to this effect. A Bill to convert the Ordinance in the Rajya Sabha could not be passed for want of time. However, suggestions of a Committee of MPs were agreed to in that the power of the State Governments has been taken away to avoid misuse, it any.

    The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Second Ordinance, seeks to amend the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 in order to bring the Roorkee University within the purview of the said Act to make it as the Seventh Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in the country. It replaces the Ordinance promulgated earlier on October 23, 2001.

    The Prevention of Terrorism Second Ordinance, 2001, (POTO), seeks to replace the earlier Ordinance promulgated on October 24, 2001 with some modifications. The revised POTO has addressed the apprehension of the media persons and the freedom of press left unhampered. The life of POTO, if converted into an Act, will be three years as against five years envisaged in the earlier version.