Cabinet likely to discuss amendments to anti-Hijacking bill

The Cabinet is likely to discuss tomorrow amendments to the anti-Hijacking bill that would give more teeth to the government in dealing with hijacking incidents involving Indian aircraft.
The amendments to the Anti-Hijacking Bill are likely to be taken up by the Union Cabinet tomorrow. Various aspects related to hijacking situation such as having a suitable definition of the terms 'hostage' and 'security personnel' are expected to be part of the proposed amendments, sources said.
The Anti-Hijacking Bill 2014, introduced in Rajya Sabha in December last, was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture.
The parliamentary panel submitted its report in March this year, wherein it had suggested various changes including making hoax calls a punishable offence and providing adequate compensation for victims of hijacking.

The committee had also asked the government to look at adequately defining the terms 'hostage' and 'security personnel'.
The bill has proposed stringent measures such as death penalty to the hijackers. Besides that, the definition of 'hijacking' has been widened to include even those persons or acts associated directly or indirectly with hijacking.