New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for another six months in certain parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland, officials said.
According to the three separate notifications, issued by the MHA, the further extension of the special law would be effective from October 1.
The AFSPA, which gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary for the “maintenance of public order”, was on Friday extended for six more months in the entire state of Manipur, excluding the areas falling under the jurisdiction of the 13 police stations of five districts – Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching.
There are 16 districts in Manipur, which have been devastated by the ethnic violence between the majority Meitei and the minority Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribals since May 3, 2023.
After the prolonged ethnic violence, which claimed over 260 lives since May 2023, Manipur has been under President’s rule since February 13, four days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who was heading the second BJP-led government, resigned on February 9.
The MHA notification said that after the review of the law and order situation in the state of Manipur, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the AFSPA, 1958, it extended the law for another six months with effect from October 1.
A separate notification of the MHA said that the AFSPA has been extended in eight districts of Nagaland — Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phekm and Peren and 21 police stations in five other districts – Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto – and declared these areas as ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months with effect from April 1.
Another MHA notification said that the AFSPA has also been extended in 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 the state, bordering Assam, and declared these areas as a ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months with effect from October 1.
The law and order situations of the areas of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, where the AFSPA has been extended, were also reviewed by the government.
Many organisations in Manipur, including the Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF), the Nupi Khunai-Yairipok, and the Meira Paibis, have been agitating, demanding withdrawal of the AFSPA from the state.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier said that the MHA has lifted the AFSPA from many parts of his state.
“At one time, the entire state was under AFSPA. The Centre has steadily reduced the areas where the Act applies,” Sarma had said.
The AFSPA was originally imposed across Assam in 1990, during a peak in insurgent activities led by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). Since then, it has been renewed every six months, with periodic reviews leading to the gradual exclusion of certain areas based on the prevailing security situation. With significant improvement in the security situation, the AFSPA was lifted from Tripura in 2015, Meghalaya in 2018 and Mizoram in the 1980s.
(IANS)
