The National Security Act 1980 is an act of the Indian Parliament whose purpose is "to provide for preventive detention in certain cases and for matters connected therewith." The act extends to the whole of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 except the State of Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...

. This act empowers the Central Government and State Governments to detain a person to prevent him/her from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of India, the relations of India with foreign countries, the maintenance of public order, or the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community it is necessary so to do. The act also gives power to the governments to detain a foreigner in a view to regulate his presence or expel from the country.

Detention

The maximum period of detention is 12 months.The order can also be made by the District Magistrate or a Commissioner of Police under their respective jurisdictions, but should report the fact to the State Government together with the grounds on which the order has been made.No such order shall remain in force for more than twelve days unless in the meantime, it has been approved by the State Government.

Criticism

The National Security Act along with other laws allowing preventive detention have come under wide criticism for their alleged misuse. The act's constitutional validity even during peacetime has been described by some sections as an anachronism.