New Delhi:
Under attack from non-Congress Chief Ministers, Government has put on hold the launching of the NCTC scheduled for March one and the anti-terror body may take shape only after a meeting of state police chiefs likely to be held in the second week of next month.
The appointments of the Director and three joint Directors of National Counter Terrorism Centre have also been put on hold after Home Minister P Chidambaram wrote a letter to 10 Chief Ministers where he had assured that the "next steps" on NCTC will be taken only after the meeting of DGPs.
Union Home Secretary will invite Chief Secretaries and Home Commissioners of all states along with the DGPs and heads of anti-terror organisations for a meeting, possibly on March 10, to "discuss in detail the scope and functions of the NCTC", Home Ministry sources said on Monday.
Amid the growing clamour against setting up of NCTC, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh suggesting a session of National Integration Council to bring national consensus on the matter.
In the letter, the chief minister said that giving "enormous powers" to the NCTC may lead to overlapping of responsibilities of the law enforcing agencies and result in its misuse.
As counting of Assembly elections in five states will be held on March 6 and Holi will be celebrated on March 8, the much awaited meeting by the Home Secretary apparently got delayed.
In his letter, the Home Minister had sought to allay the apprehensions of the Chief Ministers who said empowering NCTC with Section 43 (A) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act would infringe on the state's powers. Section 43(A) of UA(P)A gives an officer power to arrest and search.
Chidambaram said the powers conferred under Section 43(A) of the UA(P) Act must be read with the duty under Section 43 (B) to produce the person or article without unnecessary delay before the nearest police station (which will be under the state government), and the SHO of the police station will take further action in accordance with the provisions of the CrPC.