No one can file any case against any armed personnel, except when there is special permission from the Central Government. Under this law, if a case has to be registered in court against an army personnel or anyone from the armed forces for a crime they have committed, then the court proceedings can only take place when there is permission from the Central Government.
Only a handful of cases have been instituted against army personnel under AFSPA.
Example: Chitrakshi’s husband Sumeysh has been killed by an officer of the armed forces and she wants to file a case against this in a police station. The police station will register her FIR, but to fight her case in the court, she has to seek permission from the Central Government. Only when permission is granted by the Central Government, i.e the Home Ministry, a trial against the officer of the armed forces can be started.