Source By TNN local
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain on Sunday said that those helping terrorists in the state should be prosecuted under the ‘Enemy Agents Ordinance, 2005’. He said that those helping the enemies of the country should also be treated like enemies. So what is the Enemy Agent Ordinance? Which is considered even harsher than UAPA. Let’s understand in this Explainer…
What is the Enemy Agent Ordinance?
Jammu and Kashmir’s Enemy Agent Ordinance was first introduced in 1917 by the then Dogra Maharaja of the state. It is known as an ‘ordinance’ because the laws made during the Dogra rule were called ordinances. When the country became independent in 1947 and the princely states merged with India, this ordinance was also included in Indian law.
Even after 370 was removed, the law remained intact.
In 2019, when the central government removed Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, many changes were made in the law of the state. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act was passed. In this, some old laws of the state were kept as they were. While some laws were either changed or completely abolished. The government retained the Enemy Agent Ordinance and Public Safety Act.
What is the definition of an agent?
This law (Enemy Agents Ordinance) says, ‘Any person who helps the enemies of the country, conspires against India with them, is found helping them in any way, endangers the lives of security forces or soldiers, has direct or indirect relations with them, will fall under the category of an agent..’
