MUMBAI, Oct. 7 -- Defending the constitutional validity of the Maharashtra Special Public Security Act, 2025, enacted to curb the activities of "left-wing extremist" organisations, the Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court that the petitioners-the Indian National Congress, the Communist Party of India, and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)-cannot challenge the legislation merely out of "curiosity or for academic exercise" and must demonstrate a real grievance or legal injury. In its affidavit before the court, the state argued that the legislation cannot be decided "in vacuum", contending that the petitioners have neither claimed that the legislature lacked competence to enact such a law nor demonstrated any legal injury arising from its provisions. The affidavit, filed by deputy secretary, state home department Pritamkumar Jawale, stated that because of its high urban population, Maharashtra has become the centre of the Maoist urban network with no legal framework of a public security act to ban frontal organisations. It said more than 15,000 written suggestions and objections were considered by the Joint Committee, and several provisions were subsequently changed. These changes included replacing references to "individuals and organisations" in the title and preamble with "left-wing extremist organization or similar organisations," and changing the composition of the advisory board. It pointed out that the MSPSA has been enacted to prevent and tackle unlawful, subversive and extremist activities and is not only a constitutional necessity but a well-structured mechanism designed to protect the democratic fabric from extremist organisations, hidden groups or people who try to secretly destroy or weaken the nation. "Citizens or organisations who do not act under any design of threatening or weakening the nation need not have any cause of action to file such petitions," it said, adding that the reference to "left wing extremist organisations" was deliberately retained because, according to the state, some organisations working for and under the influence of Maoist impact appear and act by misusing the name of social organisations. The legislation, whose stated objective is to curb "urban naxalism", was passed unanimously by the Maharashtra legislature last year. Its objective is to curb "left-wing extremism," the central government's preferred term for Maoist/naxal activities. The petitioners challenging the law, however, contend that it would "suppress constitutionally protected peaceful and legitimate dissent". The AITUC claimed the Act could target opposition parties and lawful dissent....