Centre can repeal AFSPA: Kashmir government
September 3rd, 2011 - 1:54 pm ICT by IANS
Srinagar, Sep 3 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar Saturday said the state government can only “recommend” to the central government to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
“Though the state government can review the Disturbed Areas Act, the ultimate authority to revoke it lies with the centre,” Sagar told a local news agency reacting to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s statement that this power lies with the state government.
Talking about removal of AFSPA in the state, Chidambaram had Thursday said: “Once the state government decides that the Disturbed Areas Act should go from a certain area, the AFSPA would automatically cease to remain in force there.”
“I am in touch with the chief minister (Omar Abdullah) and he has to weigh the pros and cons and then decide when to do it,” Chidambaram said.
AFSPA was passed in 1990 to grant special powers and immunity from prosecution to security forces while dealing with raging insurgencies in northeastern states and in Jammu and Kashmir. The act is a target for local human rights groups and international campaigners such as Amnesty International.
The Disturbed Areas Act seeks to further strengthen the powers of the authorities in suppressing disorder and maintaining law and order in an area.
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- Amnesty asks India to stop rights abuse in Kashmir (Third Lead) - Mar 21, 2011
- Omar briefs cabinet on Delhi talks on AFSPA - Nov 24, 2011
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- Kashmir's Unified Command can decide on AFSPA: Antony - Nov 11, 2011
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- Human rights watchdog rakes up AFSPA issue - Jan 24, 2012
- AFSPA will be revoked one day: Farooq - Nov 25, 2011
- Chidambaram to visit Jammu and Kashmir April 10 - Mar 24, 2012
- Revoking AFSPA will aid Kashmir terror groups: Army chief - Jan 01, 2012
- Defence, home ministries to decide on AFSPA: Army - Jan 15, 2012
Tags: afspa, ali mohammad, amnesty international, campaigners, central government, chief minister, human rights groups, immunity from prosecution, insurgencies, jammu and kashmir, kashmir, kashmir government, law and order, northeastern states, p chidambaram, parliamentary affairs, sagar, target, ultimate authority, union home minister