The law, which is now enforced in large parts of Manipur, Tripura, Assam and Nagaland and some parts of other northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir, gives armed forces special powers to detain or kill terror suspects in insurgency-prone areas.

Recently, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Home Minister P. Chidambaram and demanded the AFSPA be repealed.

Earlier, addressing a seminar at Jamia Millia Islamia University, Pillai had said: 'Economic development and administrative reforms have to be undertaken to curtail insurgency.'