The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, India's principal anti-terror law, which provides for the prevention of unlawful activities and terrorist acts and for banning organisations and individuals as terrorist.
- Enacted in 1967 to deal with unlawful activities threatening the sovereignty and integrity of India; later amendments brought in terrorism-specific provisions.
- The law allows the Centre to declare an organisation a "terrorist organisation"; the 2019 amendment also allows the Centre to designate individuals as terrorists.
- It permits extended detention without filing a charge sheet (up to 180 days) and makes bail difficult, since a court must be satisfied the accusation is prima facie not true before granting bail.
- The National Investigation Agency can investigate UAPA offences across States; cases are tried in designated courts.
- It is frequently debated for its human-rights implications, including low conviction rates and prolonged pre-trial custody.
UAPA is the central anti-terror statute and a core internal-security topic, sitting squarely on the security-versus-civil-liberties balance that CAPF tests.
UAPA is a substantive anti-terror law allowing prosecution and bans; it differs from preventive-detention laws such as the National Security Act, and from AFSPA, which grants operational powers in disturbed areas.
1967 anti-terror law; the 2019 amendment lets the Centre designate individuals (not just groups) as terrorists, with strict bail and long custody.