Jaipur: In a move that is bound to generate controversy, the Rajasthan government has passed an ordinance that prevents the courts from taking up private complaints against both serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in the state for on-duty action without its prior sanction.

The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, promulgated by the Vasundhara Raje government on September 7, also seeks to bar media from reporting on such matters involving accusations against the public servants until the sanction to proceed with the probe is obtained.

The ordinance, which provides 180 days immunity to the officers, reads, "No magistrate shall order an investigation nor will any investigation be conducted against a person, who is or was a judge or a magistrate or a public servant".

If there is no decision on the sanction request post the stipulated time period, it will automatically mean that sanction has been granted.

The ordinance amends the Criminal Code of Procedure, 1973 and also seeks curb on publishing and printing or publicising in any case the name, address, photograph, family details of the public servants. Violating the clause would call for two years imprisonment.

The ordinance is expected to come up for approval of the state assembly on Monday. Of the 200 seats in the assembly, the BJP has 162.