-The Indian Express   The Supreme Court on Friday gave the army three weeks’ time to detail the extent of immunity enjoyed by army personnel under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. A bench of Justices was hearing a CBI plea to vacate a SC stay on the trial in a J&K court on the killing of seven youths allegedly by the army. The incident is said to be a retaliation for the...

-The Hindu   More than 23 years after the bombing that signalled the beginning of the murderous insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, India's strategic establishment is demonstrating a curious unwillingness to grasp the fact that the war to restore peace has been won. Ever since 2009, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been advocating the withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from parts of the State, as a first step towards...

-The Times of India   With the government struggling to craft its stance on the contentious question of withdrawal of Armed Forces ( Special Powers) Act from some parts of J&K, the BJP joined the debate by warning the Centre against diluting the law. As the defence ministry insists that the views of the army and the Unified Command need to be heeded on whether to withdraw AFSPA from certain areas in...

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has deployed about 70,000 personnel in Jammu and Kashmir, is amenable to the withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from certain areas as it feels the "immunity'' to its men under other law is "enough" to fight militants when "overall security situation has improved" in the state. The paramilitary force that is also at the forefront in fighting terrorism...

Amid opposition from its alliance partner Congress, the Omar Abdullah-led government on Friday deferred the decision on withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from certain parts of J&K. A cabinet meeting was held here which was presided over by chief minister Omar Abdullah decided that the issue would be taken up in the next cabinet meeting in Jammu after the bi-annual Darbar shifts to the winter capital...