Bengal ready to amend act

NEW DELHI: The West Bengal government has promised to amend a state law in the upcoming assembly session to disallow terrorists and Maoists from claiming political prisoner status.

The state informed the home ministry on Tuesday that an ordinance to amend the West Bengal Correctional Services Act, 1992, could not be prepared, but it would move an amendment bill to change provisions of the said law in the week-long assembly session, which begins on December 7.

An MHA source said it expected the state assembly to pass the amendment bill in the brief session as terror-accused Aftab Ansari has moved the HC seeking the status of a political prisoner. The HC had granted such a status to seven jailed Maoists on August 8.