March 27, 2024: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the central government will consider revoking the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir.

During an interview, the Union Home Minister said that the government has also plans to pull back troops in the Union Territory (UT) and leave law and order to the Jammu and Kashmir Police alone.

The AFSPA empowers the armed forces personnel who are operating in disturbed areas with powers to search, arrest and to open fire if they deem it necessary for "the maintenance of public order". An area or district is notified as disturbed under the AFSPA to facilitate the operations of the armed forces.

Earlier, the Union Home Minister Shah had said that the AFSPA has been removed in 70 per cent areas in the North East even though it is in force in Jammu and Kashmir. There have been demands from various organisations and individuals in J&K and the northeastern states to revoke the AFSPA.