AFSPA Being Reviewed By NHRC In Various Parts Of India, Says Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is reviewing The Armed Forces Special Powers Act in various parts of the country
New Delhi, October 1: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is reviewing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in various parts of the country. Home Secretary at NHRC and International Human Rights Conclave, Rajiv Gauba told news agency ANI, “We have been reviewing Armed Forces Special Powers Act in various parts of the country and in response to the improvement in security scenario, it has been lifted from many states.”
In August, around 750 soldiers and army officers approached the Supreme Court against dilution of the AFSPA that shielded them from prosecution. The army personnel in their petition challenged the criminal cases filed against soldiers and officers serving in insurgency-hit areas. The three-judge bench was constituted last year to investigate allegations of human rights violations by security personnel in Manipur.
In August, The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked an Indian Army Major Vijay Singh Balhara, along with five riflemen and two Manipur police personnel in a nine-year-old alleged fake encounter case. The CBI has registered the case under Indian Penal Court sections related to the murder. A Supreme Court-appointed commission led by retired apex court judge Santosh Hegde had already termed it as a case of fake encounter.
Last month, while interacting with media, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bipin Rawat questioned the need of serving army soldiers filing cases in their individual capacity in the Supreme Court challenging any dilution of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). Gen Rawat said if the army personnel lose the case then it would weaken the cause. The AFSPA was revoked from the northeastern state of Meghalaya in April this year. In Arunachal, AFSPA would be restricted only to 16 police stations.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2018 02:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).