Abstract

Terrorism has spread to almost all corners of the world. Hundreds of people die each year due to terrorist attacks, and their impact is more than just the loss of lives. There has been an upsurge in terrorist activities, intensification of cross-border infiltration, spread of left-wing extremism, and extension of secessionist conflicts in different parts of India. The use of modern means and technology enables terror organisations to strike and create terror among people at will. In many cases, the criminal justice system was not designed to deal with such heinous crimes. Analysing the necessity of enacting legislation to deal with and prevent terrorist activities, the Indian Government has introduced various strict anti-terrorism laws, such as the UAPA, TADA, and POTA, into the Indian criminal justice system. Although the primary objective of these anti-terror laws was to reduce the menace of terrorism and protect human lives, they were often directed against the basic freedom and rights of fellow citizens and misused for political purposes. Several cases of human rights violations have been lodged due to the overpowering legislation. In this context, this paper will analyse the impact of anti-terrorism laws on the basic rights of citizens in India and their scope and limits in the Indian judicial system.