India, July 11 -- Maharashtra has become the fifth state after Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha to enact a special law to curb left wing extremism (LWE), the central government's preferred term for Maoist/ Naxalite activities. On Thursday, the Special Public Security Act (SPSA) was unanimously passed by the legislative assembly even as civil society groups and organisations said the law was against the Constitution and they would challenge it in court.

What is the need for a new law?

While speaking in the assembly during a discussion on the bill on Thursday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said Maoist activities were now restricted to only two tehsils in Gadchiroli. So what was the need for a new law?

The statement o...