Centre decreases disturbed areas in Assam & Manipur under AFSPA, while extends it in parts of Arunachal & Nagaland

New Delhi, Mar 25: The Central government has decreased the disturbed areas listed under AFSPA in the North East. At the same time, it has also extended the same for six months the "disturbed area" status of parts of Arunachal and Nagaland under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday (Mar 24) in two separate notifications stated that the decisions have been taken after reviewing the law and order situation in the North Eastern states. According to the statement, the Centre has once again decided to decrease the disturbed areas in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur under the AFSPA. The AFSPA empowers security forces to arrest a person without a warrant and enter or search premises without a warrant along with some other actions.

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The MHA notification dated Mar 24 stated that AFPSA has been extended in the districts of Tirap, Changlang and Longding from Apr 1 to Sept 30. In addition, the Government of India has also extended AFSPA in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in the Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the state of Assam.

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Earlier, the Central Government in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (28 of 1958) had declared Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the State of Assam, as 'disturbed area' for six months from April 1 to September 30, 2022, unless withdrawn earlier.