BHUBANESWAR: Describing the power vested in an agency India is setting up to counter terrorism as "an infringement on the powers of the states", Odisha Monday sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking a review of the matter.
Citing a recent memorandum of the union ministry of home affairs regarding the powers vested in the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the provisions have draconian overtones.
Pointing out the order that empowers director of the centre as the designated authority under section (2-e) of the unlawful activities (prevention) act 1967, the chief minister stated "This would entail officers of the NCTC having the power to arrest, search, etc under without consulting the state governments."
"Would it not have been advisable for the union governments to have prior consultation with the state governments"" Patnaik has said in the letter he sent Monday.
Similarly the chief minister has also objected to the provision that requires all authorities, including functionaries of the state governments to provide information, documents reports etc to the NCTC.
"This clearly seems to an infringement on the federal structure of states as enshrined in the constitution of India" he stated. "Therefore I must ask you, sir to review this order which has draconian overtones" stated the chief minister.