Supreme Court clears anti-terrorism bill with conditions for parliament

The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the controversial Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTB) meets constitutional requirements for passage, provided parliament implements four substantive amendments during the legislative process.

The amendments focus on reinforcing judicial safeguards within the proposed legislation. Police applications for extended custody would require explicit court authorization under the revised terms, while appeals against detention orders would be directed to the Supreme Court rather than the Court of Appeal, centralizing oversight of cases arising from the law.

The court's conditional approval represents a middle ground between judicial scrutiny and parliamentary prerogative, indicating the apex court's willingness to permit anti-terrorism legislation while imposing structural constraints designed to protect individual rights. The amendments must be incorporated before the bill returns to parliament for a vote.

The ruling clarifies the legal pathway for one of the government's priority legislative items, though the decision does not address broader civil society concerns about the bill's scope and application. Parliamentary debate on the amended proposal is expected in coming weeks.