Centre will consider revoking the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act - Amit Shah

G GOWTHAM
On Tuesday, Union home minister amit shah announced that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in kashmir - SRINAGAR/JAMMU' target='_blank' title='jammu and kashmir-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">jammu and kashmir may be repealed by the federal government. Shah said that the government intends to withdraw its soldiers from the Union Territory (UT) and hand up law and order to the kashmir - SRINAGAR/JAMMU' target='_blank' title='jammu and kashmir-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">jammu and kashmir police exclusively in an interview with the JK media Group. "We intend to withdraw our forces and turn over law and order to the kashmir - SRINAGAR/JAMMU' target='_blank' title='jammu and kashmir-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">jammu and kashmir police exclusively." The kashmir - SRINAGAR/JAMMU' target='_blank' title='jammu and kashmir-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">jammu and kashmir police were not trusted in the past, but now they are in charge of the operations," he stated.

As for the contentious AFSPA, the home minister stated, "We will also think of revoking AFSPA."
 
The AFSPA grants members of the armed forces broad authority to conduct searches, make arrests, and use force if they believe it is essential for "the maintenance of public order" when they are working in troubled regions.
 
Under the AFSPA, a district or region is designated as disturbed in order to assist military operations.
 
Shah has previously stated that although the AFSPA is still in effect in J-K, it has been eliminated in 70% of the northeastern states.
 

Revocation of the AFSPA has been demanded by a number of groups and people in J&K and the northeastern states.
 
According to Shah, J&K will hold assembly elections before to September.
 
The commitment made by prime minister Narendra Modi to establish democracy in kashmir - SRINAGAR/JAMMU' target='_blank' title='jammu and kashmir-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">jammu and kashmir will be honoured. But this democracy will be a people's democracy, not limited to just three families, he said.
 
Before September, the supreme court had mandated that the UT hold assembly elections.
 

Regarding the concerns raised by the quota of SCs, STs, and OBCs, Shah stated that the Modi administration has, for the first time, granted reservation to OBCs in J&K and one-third of it to women.
 
OBC reservations have been introduced in urban local bodies such as panchayats. The SCs and the STs now have a designated area. The Gujjar and Bakarwal shares have not decreased, while the Pahadis have received a 10% reserve. Additionally, specific accommodations have been constructed to house the displaced residents of kashmir, which is under Pakistani occupation," he stated.
 
According to him, the Centre is committed to making sure that these advantages reach the local level.
 
 

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