Anti-superstition law without ‘teeth’, Kolhapur activists files PIL in HC to direct state to frame rules for law passed 12 yrs ago

Kolhapur: Progressive group activists from Kolhapur filed a public interest litigation on April 6 in the Bombay HC's Kolhapur bench, seeking directions to state govt to immediately frame and notify rules under section 11 of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.The PIL also sought a mandate for the immediate appointment and training of vigilance officers in every district, specifically trained to handle cases involving the sexual exploitation of women under the guise of spiritual rituals. It further sought directions to remove, delete, the videos of various women and girls with Ashok Kharat from all social media platforms.The petition stated that since the Act came into force 12 years ago, state govt is yet to frame the necessary rules for its effective implementation. The petitioners are activists from Kolhapur city. TOI on March 30 had reported ‘Anti-Superstition Act in Place, But Rules Still In The Making'."The absence of proper rules for the implementation of the Act also denies access to justice and an effective remedy. The law exists only on paper. The rules, which are teeth for the implementation, are missing," states the PIL.The petitioners are Seema Ramdas Patil, Abhishek Mithari, Pramodini Pramod Pungavkar, Manik Yadav, Prashant Sambhaji Ghondali, Asmita Dhananjay Dighe, Ramesh Vadangekar, Kiran Gavali, Balu Shahu Mali, Geeta Bharat Hasurkar and Anil Annaso Chavan.The PIL made Maharashtra govt, law and judiciary department, and director general of police respondents as "they are jointly and collectively responsible to take decisions on better implementation of any law and to frame proper rules related to any law," as per the PIL stamped 2749 of 2026.Section 11 of the 2013 Act mandates that the social justice department must frame and notify the rules. Section 5 of the law mandates appointment of ‘vigilance officers' and establishment of ‘functional anti-superstition cells' at every police stations.The petitioners sought interim relief that some standard operating procedures (SOP) should come into place immediately and for the same court should pass some guidelines to the respondents till the final disposal of the PIL.The Act was passed after the man who fought for it, Narendra Dabholkar, was shot dead.Lawyer representing petitioners Asim Sarode said, "It is expected from the state to proactively take steps for effective implementation of the Acts driven by social cause. Without rules, the letters in the words in the Act are mere dead words. The lack of rules has encouraged many people like Ashok Kharat to exploit people. The PIL will come up for hearing before the division bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar and Pravin Patil on April 20."