Govt Extends AFSPA in 8 Naga, 3 Arunachal Districts

New Delhi:The Centre extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in eight districts in Nagaland, three districts in Arunachal Pradesh and some other areas for six more months after a review of the law and order situation, the Union home ministry said in a notification issued late on Wednesday night.

The AFSPA under which an area is declared as disturbed facilitates the operations of the security forces and it also empowers them with sweeping powers including search, arrest and to open fire if they deem it necessary for “maintenance of public order”.

The ministry in the order said that the central government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 (28 of 1958) had declared eight districts and 21 police stations in five other districts of Nagaland as “disturbed area” for a period of six months with effect from April 1, 2024.

The districts and police stations areas have been declared “disturbed areas” again for a period of six months with effect from October 1, 2024, unless withdrawn, the notification issued on Wednesday night said. The districts in Nagaland where the AFSPA was reimposed are Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek and Peren.

In a separate notification, the ministry said that under the AFSPA, the central government had declared Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Assam as “disturbed area” with effect from April 1, 2024.

A further review of the law and order situation in Arunachal Pradesh had been undertaken, it said, while adding, “Now, therefore, Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the state of Assam, are declared as “disturbed area” for a period of six months with effect from October 1, 2024 unless withdrawn,” it said.

Union home minister Amit Shah had earlier said that the AFSPA had been removed in 70 per cent areas in the northeastern states even though it is in force in Jammu and Kashmir. He had also said that the central government would consider revoking AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir.

However, there have been demands from various organisations in the Union Territory and northeastern states to revoke the AFSPA.