Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019 EMPOWER IAS

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019

Recently, the former Union Minister P.Chidambaram questioned the need for certain amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.
The Bill empowers the Central government to name any individual a terrorist if it believes him or her to be so.

Aims at the effective prevention of unlawful activities across India and abroad.
Make powers available for dealing with activities threatening to the integrity and sovereignty of India.
It is applicable across the entire country.
Amendments to the act have already been made thrice in 2004, 2008 and 2013 and now in 2019, to make it more stringent.

1.Who may commit terrorism: Under the Act, the central government may designate an organisation as a terrorist organisation if it:

(i) commits or participates in acts of terrorism,

(ii) prepares for terrorism,

(iii) promotes terrorism, or

(iv) is otherwise involved in terrorism.

The Bill empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists on the same grounds.

An investigating officer is required to obtain the prior approval of the Director General of Police to seize properties that may be connected with terrorism.
The Bill adds that if the investigation is conducted by an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the approval of the Director General of NIA would be required for seizure of such property.

2.Investigation by NIA:

Under the Act, investigation of cases may be conducted by officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police or above.
The Bill additionally empowers the officers of the NIA, of the rank of Inspector or above, to investigate cases.

3. Insertion to schedule of treaties:

The Act defines terrorist acts to include acts committed within the scope of any of the treaties listed in a schedule to the Act.
The Schedule lists nine treaties, including the Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings (1997), and the Convention against Taking of Hostages (1979). The Bill adds another treaty to the list.
The International Convention for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005) has also been added in the Second Schedule through this Amendment.

New anti-terror clause will be used sparingly; Azhar, Saeed to be first targets: official

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