Centre extends AFSPA after reviewing the law and order situation
On Friday, the Union Home Ministry (MHA) extended “disturbed area” status under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, (AFSPA) of 1958 in parts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for 6 months. Home Ministry officials said the decision to extend “disturbed area” status to the two northeastern states was taken following a review of the law and order situation.
As per the MHA notification, the Central government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the AFSPA 1958 had declared Changlang, Tirap, and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas under the jurisdiction of Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the state of Assam as ‘disturbed area‘ on September 30, 2022. Through the new notification, one more police station area has been brought under the ambit of AFSPA.
The MHA notification said, “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’ under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for a period of six months with effect from April 1, 2023, unless withdrawn earlier.”
The Ministry further said the Central government in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the AFSPA, 1958 had declared nine districts and 16 police stations in four other districts of Nagaland as ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months with effect from October 1, 2022.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 31 last year announced the reduction of the operation of AFSPA from April 1 in large parts of Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur, even as most of the political parties and NGOs in the region have been demanding its complete repeal.
The demand intensified after the security forces killed 14 people and injured 30 others in the Mon district of Nagaland in December 2021 in a case of “mistaken identity”.
The AFSPA, which allows the Army and other central para-military forces to conduct raids and operations, and arrest anyone anywhere without prior notice or arrest warrant, was in force in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur barring the Imphal municipal council area and certain districts of Arunachal Pradesh. It was lifted from Tripura in 2015, Meghalaya in 2018, and Mizoram in the 1980s.
[With Inputs from IANS]
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