With reference to the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, consider the following statements: 1. The Act provides for the preventive detention of individuals to preserve public order. 2. The Supreme Court imposed a cost of ₹5 lakh on the State of Uttar Pradesh for the procedural lapse. 3. The Court ruled that extra-judicial confessions can sustain detention without independent material. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Supreme Court sets aside Sambhal detention order, imposes ₹10 lakh costs on State

GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Terrorism & insurgency (J&K, North-East)· Prelims + Mains· 1 October 2026

Preventive detention vs. individual rights: a GS2 and GS3 case study on judicial review and due process.

Why in news

The Supreme Court set aside a preventive detention order under the National Security Act, 1980, in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, ruling that extra-judicial confessions cannot sustain detention without independent material.

Background

A bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Sheel Nagu ruled on the detention order following violence in Sambhal on November 24, 2024. The Court imposed a ₹10 lakh cost on the State of Uttar Pradesh for the procedural lapse.

Facts for Prelims

Act / BillNational Security Act (NSA), 1980: Provides for preventive detention of individuals to preserve public order.
PlaceSambhal: District in Uttar Pradesh where the violence occurred on November 24, 2024.
FactThe Supreme Court imposed a cost of ₹10 lakh on the State for the set-aside order.

Prelims practice question

With reference to the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, consider the following statements:

The Act provides for the preventive detention of individuals to preserve public order.
The Supreme Court imposed a cost of ₹5 lakh on the State of Uttar Pradesh for the procedural lapse.
The Court ruled that extra-judicial confessions can sustain detention without independent material.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)2 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (a) 1 only — Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect: The Supreme Court imposed a cost of ₹10 lakh. Statement 3 is incorrect: The Court ruled that extra-judicial confessions cannot sustain detention without independent material.

For Mains

Q. Critically examine the balance between the state's power of preventive detention under the National Security Act and the protection of individual fundamental rights.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Judicial oversight: Requirement of independent material beyond extra-judicial confessions to prevent arbitrary detention
Due process: Ensuring procedural safeguards in preventive detention to prevent misuse of the National Security Act

Keywords: Preventive detention · National Security Act · Extra-judicial confession · Judicial review · Due process

Read the full news →Source: The Hindu ↗Also: GS2 · Fundamental rights, DPSP & duties

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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.