A total of 10,440 people were arrested under the anti-terrorism law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, between 2019 and 2023, but only 335 were convicted, the Union government told Parliament on Monday.

Data submitted to the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai showed Jammu and Kashmir accounted for the highest number of arrests at 3,662, while recording just 23 convictions. Uttar Pradesh followed with 2,805 arrests and 222 convictions.

Assam, Manipur and Jharkhand also reported high arrest figures under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a law that allows authorities to classify individuals and organisations as “unlawful” and provides extended timelines for investigations. Under UAPA, agencies can hold suspects for up to 180 days before filing charges, compared with a maximum of 90 days under standard criminal procedure. Bail is also harder to obtain.

Enacted in 1967, the law defines “unlawful activity” as actions intended to challenge India’s sovereignty or create disaffection against the state.

Rights groups and legal scholars have long criticised the rising use of UAPA, saying the legislation, designed to tackle terrorism, has increasingly been deployed against government critics and activists. They argue that the low conviction rate underscores concerns about misuse and prolonged detention.