# Bombay HC judge recuses from Maharashtra security law challenge 2026-08-10T19:09:39+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A Bombay High Court judge recused himself from hearing a challenge to the constitutional validity of the Maharashtra Special Public Security Act, 2025. Justice Gautam A Ankhad withdrew from the bench when the petitions by the Congress, CPI, and AITUC came up for hearing on Monday. No reason was given. The bench led by Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge will now assign the case to another division bench. The law, passed by the state assembly in July 2025 and signed by the President in December, aims to curb Left Wing Extremism. Petitioners argue it gives the government sweeping powers to ban organisations, seize property, and silence dissent without adequate notice or judicial oversight. The Maharashtra government has called the petitions “frivolous” and urged their dismissal. ## Coverage - indiatoday.in - deccanchronicle.com Tags: Bombay High Court, civil liberties, Congress-CPI, Maharashtra Special Public Security Act, recusal, UAPA Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bombay-hc-judge-recuses-from-plea-against-maharashtra-security-law/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bombay-hc-judge-recuses-from-plea-against-maharashtra-security-law/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.