Jaipur: Rajasthan on Tuesday became the fourth state to pass a law against organised crime, with the government saying there is an urgent need for stringent measures to effectively tackle such activities.

The state Assembly also passed the Rajasthan Prisons Bill, 2023, by voice vote and introduced another Bill that seeks life sentences for those involved in recruitment exam paper leaks.

Replying to a debate on the Rajasthan Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2023, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal said a study of crime trends during the last decade has revealed a shift in their patterns in the state.

Earlier, heinous crimes such as murder, dacoity, robbery, kidnapping and extortion were committed by individuals acting alone or in concert, but the last decade witnessed a rise in organised crime in Rajasthan, he added.

“Rajasthan will be the fourth state in the country to enact such a law. In the past, such laws have been implemented in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat,” he said, adding there is a rising consensus among policymakers and internal security experts that such criminal activities require stringent law for effective tackling.

The Bill was passed by a voice vote.

Dhariwal said under Section 28 of the Bill, the high court will have powers to make rules regarding special courts and under Section 29, the state government will be able to make rules to implement the purposes of the Act.

He added that under Section 5 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the state government can enact special procedural laws, under which this Bill has been brought.

Before this, a proposal to circulate the Rajasthan Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2023, for public opinion was rejected by the House via voice vote.

The Rajasthan government introduced eight other Bills, including the Rajasthan Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks life sentences for those involved in paper leaks. The Bills will be passed following discussions on them.

Replying to the discussion on the Rajasthan Prisons Bill, 2023, Prisons Minister Tikaram Jully said it is the aim of the state government to strengthen the arrangements for prisoners lodged in the jails.

This Bill has been brought to ensure correctional provisions, the entitlement of basic human rights, skill development, and vocational training programmes for prisoners, he added.