Public Awareness and General Administration
Parliament passes Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill
- Parliament passed the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill. The Bill would provide an effective legal instrument to combat maritime piracy.
Key highlights of the bill
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- Presently, India does not have a separate domestic legislation on piracy. Once enacted, the Bill will bring into law the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), (ratified by India)
- The Bill provides for stringent punishment to those convicted of such crimes.
- It will apply to all parts of the sea adjacent to and beyond Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India, i.e., beyond 200 nautical miles from the coastline.
- Defines piracy in accordance with UNCLOS.
- Empowers the Central government to make Rules on subjects such as powers of arrest, investigation and prosecution, designated court and its jurisdiction, and trial of the offenses by designated court.
Note
- UNCLOS is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. It was signed on 10 December 1982.
