No detention order under the National Security Act must be in force for more than _______ days if the State Government does not approve the same.

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (b) 12

Explanation:
• Under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, a detention order made by a District Magistrate or a Commissioner of Police must be reported to the State Government.
• The detention order will not remain in force for more than 12 days unless it has been approved by the State Government.
• If the report is made after 5 days but within 10 days of detention, the approval must be obtained within the specified timeframe.
• The Act allows for the preventive detention of individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner prejudicial to the security of the State or the maintenance of public order.
• The person detained must be informed of the grounds of detention within 5 to 10 days.

Information Booster:
• The maximum period for which any person may be detained under the NSA is 12 months, though the case must be reviewed by an Advisory Board.
• The NSA is often criticized for bypassing the normal criminal justice system procedures like the right to a lawyer during the initial phase.

Additional Knowledge:
(a) 20 (Option a)
• This is not a statutory limit for initial approval under the NSA.

(c) 10 (Option c)
• While grounds for detention must usually be communicated within 5-10 days, the 12-day limit is specific to the government's approval of the order.

(d) 7 (Option d)
• This is a shorter window than provided by the Act for state-level approval of local magistrate orders.