Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, was enacted to prevent unlawful activities associations in India.
Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India.
The act gives the police power to detain anyone engaging in unlawful activities like aiding and abetting terrorists, funding terrorists, inciting anti national feeling in the masses and other unlawful activities against the state.
Under the Act, whoever conspires or attempts to commit, or advocates, abets, advises or the commission of, a terrorist act or any act preparatory to the commission of a terrorist act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.
The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament in 2019. It amends the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967	Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019
According to the Act, the Central Government had powers only to designate organisations as terrorist organisations.	The amendment act empowers the central government to designate an individual a “terrorist” if they are found committing, preparing for, promoting, or involved in an act of terror.
The UAPA law of 1967 requires an investigating officer to take prior permission of the Director General of Police of a state for conducting raids, and seizing properties that are suspected to be linked to terrorist activities.	The amendment act of 2019 removes this requirement if the investigation is conducted by an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The investigating officer, under the 2019 act, only requires sanction from the Director General of NIA.
The law specifies that only officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police of the NIA shall have the power to investigate offences under the UAPA law.	The amendment act allows NIA officers of Inspector rank to carry out investigations.

Why in News?

The Indian government recently declared an organization as a terrorist group under the UAPA.

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