India debates anti-terror bill

Vajpayee. His coalition government has majority of about 80 in the joint session

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- A controversial anti-terrorism bill is likely to be passed during a rare joint session of both houses of India's parliament.

Around 40 speakers are expected to debate the bill, dubbed "The Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance" (POTO), during the six-hour session on Tuesday and the government is confident it will be passed into law.

"The need for POTO on the present national situation, when India is waging a determined fight against cross border terrorism, is so self evident that it ought to have received the support of all political parties," Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Monday.

"The passage of POTO ... is a certainty," he said, adding, "Opposition to it is not only against the national interests but also against those in the [opposition Congress] party itself."

After being passed by parliament's lower house, the bill failed to get through the upper house by a margin of only 11 votes last week.

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However, the POTO should pass through the joint session -- only the third of its kind since India's independence in 1947 -- because the government will have the commanding majority.

Critics of the bill, including members of the opposition, human rights activists and journalists, have labeled its measures as draconian.

They say the proposed laws are open to misuse and threaten civil liberties.

The controversial ordinance was drafted by the government following the September 11 attacks in the United States.

The government argues the new laws are essential to deal with the threat of terrorism on Indian soil demonstrated by last December's attack on parliament in New Delhi in which 14 people, including five of the attackers, died.

An Indian police officer fires tear gas to disperse Kashmiri Muslims protesting against the arrest of a top Kashmiri separatist

Among measures included in the bill are new rules for arrest and interrogation, as well as provisions allowing suspects to be held for 30 days without appearing in court.

It defines a terrorist as anyone threatening India's unity as well as causing terror among people. Anyone who finances, plans, prepares, carries out or supports terrorist acts can be held and tried under the legislation.

Critics say the bill gives police far too much power and say the new laws could be used to harass innocent people and target minority Muslims.

However, the government argues safeguards have been built into the bill to ensure abuses of power do not occur.

-- CNN Producer Suhasini Haidar contributed to this report