Maharashtra State Gazetted Officers Federation submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde opposing any plan to make section 353 of Indian Penal Code, which deals with assault on public servants, less stringent.
As per the memorandum, gazetted officers will hold a protest on September 15 at collectorates across Maharashtra. It said section 353 was brought in to safeguard government servants from attack from anti-socials and it was successful in its aim, adding that proposed changes are “one sided and would demoralise” them.
In July this year, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, had said in the Assembly that the government was planning to water down stringent amendments brought to section 353 as it had emerged that the section was being “misused” by police against politicians.