AFSPA extended in Manipur, parts of Nagaland, Arunachal

The Home Ministry on Sunday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur and parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland by six months.

In strife-torn Manipur, the AFSPA has been extended in the entire state except in the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five of the state’s valley districts.

The AFSPA, which is imposed in areas declared “disturbed”, has also been extended in eight districts of Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five other districts of the state by six months, according to a notification issued by the Home Ministry.

The law has also been extended in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and three police station areas in Namsai district in the state by six months, beginning April 1.

The AFSPA, often criticised as a draconian law, gives the armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary.

The police station areas of Manipur where the AFSPA will not be in force are Imphal, Lamphal, City, Singjamei, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Irilbung, Thoubal, Bishnupu, Nambol and Kakching.

On November 14, 2024, of the 19 police stations in seven districts of Manipur, the AFSPA was reimposed in the limits of six police stations in five districts, mostly in the valley, in the wake of ethnic violence in the state that erupted on May 3, 2023.

President’s rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13.

The AFSPA was withdrawn from all valley police stations of the state from April 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023, by the government amid an improved security situation and “large sense of security among the general public”.

The provisions of the Act were withdrawn from the Imphal Municipality area in 2004.

The disturbed area notification for the hill districts in Manipur has been periodically extended for the past three decades, with the last notification issued on September 26, 2024.