Fresh data placed before the Lok Sabha has once again underscored the sharp gap between arrests and convictions under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

According to figures submitted by the Union home ministry on Tuesday (December 2), only 335 people were convicted under the anti-terror law between 2019 and 2023, despite a total of 10,440 arrests made during the same five-year period.

The information was provided by minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai in response to a question raised by Congress MP Shafi Parambil during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.

Rai added that the government does not maintain state-wise data on individuals currently lodged in prisons under UAPA. The figures are based on statistics compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in its annual ‘Crime in India’ reports.

Jammu and Kashmir accounted for the highest number of arrests at 3,662, but recorded only 23 convictions in these years. Uttar Pradesh, which registered 2,805 arrests, reported the highest number of convictions at 222. Assam, Manipur and Jharkhand were also among the states with a significant number of arrests under the law.

The ministry had earlier told Parliament in July that only two UAPA cases were quashed by the courts between 2018 and 2022.