Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has raised concern over the use of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, stating that its misuse does not align with the vision of a developed India. He called for greater respect for dissent and urgent attention to social inequality.
Speaking at a national conference of the Supreme Court Bar Association in Bengaluru, Justice Bhuyan pointed to data from 2019 to 2023. He said thousands were arrested under the law, while the conviction rate remained around 5%. He said this gap shows overuse of the law and raises serious questions about evidence in many cases.
He questioned prolonged detention without chargesheets. He said such practices strain the justice system and delay trials. He added that this trend weakens the principle where bail remains the norm and jail remains the exception.
Justice Bhuyan stressed that debate and dissent must not face criminal action. He called for tolerance of differing views and respect for criticism within a democratic system.He said development must include fair distribution of wealth and reduction of inequality. He added that the judiciary must remain independent and avoid aligning with political slogans.
On social issues, he highlighted caste-based discrimination and violence against Dalits. He said such realities show deep social divisions. He gave examples of exclusion and humiliation faced by Dalits and said these conditions do not reflect a developed society.