- News: The Supreme Court ordered that every death caused by the armed forces in a disturbed area should be thoroughly enquired into
- Aim: To address any allegation of use of excessive force in sensitive areas beyond the the armed forces’ normal duty, thereby upholding civilian and human rights
- Applicable to anyone whether the victim is a dreaded criminal or a militant or a terrorist or an insurgent
- Background: Security personnel under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 (AFSPA) enjoyed immunity against criminal action for acts committed in disturbed areas
- The judgment came on a plea by families in Manipur for a probe by a Special Investigation Team into cases of alleged fake encounters involving the Army and the police
- Quick fact: AFSPA is operational in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Jammu & Kashmir (Withdrawn from Tripura in 2015)
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act
SC ends impunity for armed forces under AFSPA
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