CPT214 | Prosecuting Terror: An Introduction To Counter-Terrorism Law And Practice In India

Counter-terrorism laws have become an important part of the architecture of criminal law all over the world, including in India. The Indian Parliament has enacted three substantive counter-terror laws so far, namely Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act 1985 and 1987, which lapsed in the year 1995; Prevention of Terrorism Act 2002, which was repealed in the year 2004; and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 which is the current central legislation. The existing legal framework governing counter-terrorism is a series of counteractive amendments passed in the backdrop of political developments pertaining to self-determination movements or selective instances of targeted killings. The inherent digression from constitutional propriety combined with the lack of uniformity in their application, calls for a closer inspection into the global justification of counter-terror law and policy and its localised effects.

This is a standalone course, which will provide an introduction to the terror laws in India and a critique of their impact on marginalised communities. It will examine the global and local construction of security regimes and consequential creation of suspect communities.