Afspa to stay in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal

New Delhi: The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers and immunity from prosecution unless approved by the Centre, for six months in entire Manipur, except the jurisdictions of 13 police stations.

Besides Manipur, the AFSPA has also been extended to eight districts in Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five districts of the state for six months, as well as Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and three police station areas in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh.

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

A notification issued by MHA said, “Whereas the central government after review of the law and order situation in the state of Manipur, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (28 of 1958) declares the entire state of Manipur, excluding the areas falling under the jurisdiction of the following 13 (thirteen) police stations of 5 districts, as disturbed area for a period of six months with effect from April 1, 2025, unless withdrawn earlier.”

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

Manipur has been under President’s rule since February 13 after chief minister N Biren Singh, who was heading a BJP-led government, resigned on February 9 following ethnic violence that claimed over 260 lives since May 2023.

The “disturbed area” declaration was in force in entire Manipur (except the Imphal municipality area) from 2004 till early 2022.

In April 2022, the Manipur government issued a notification where it said that “disturbed area” will no longer be applicable in seven police station areas of Imphal West district, four police station areas under the Imphal East district and one police station area each in the districts of Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching and Jiribam. There are 16 districts in Manipur.

In October 2024, the Manipur government reimposed AFSPA in the entire state, barring 19 police station areas. A month later, the AFSPA was also extended in six of the 19 police station areas after violence broke out in Jiribam district.

More than 260 people were killed and thousands left homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.

In a separate notification, the MHA said a further review of the law and order situation in Nagaland was undertaken after which Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek and Peren districts were declared as “disturbed area” under section 3 of the AFSPA for six months with effect from April 1, 2025, unless withdrawn earlier.

The areas in Nagaland declared as “disturbed area” fall “within the jurisdiction of Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha police stations in Kohima district; Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki ‘C’ police stations in Mokokchung district; Yanglok police station in Longleng district; Bhandari, Champang and Ralan police stations in Wokha district; and Ghatashi, Pughoboto, Satakha, Suruhuto, Zunheboto and Aghunato police stations in Zunheboto district,” according to the notification.

A third notification issued by MHA said a review of the law and order situation in Arunachal Pradesh has also been undertaken. Thereafter, 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, bordering Assam, are declared as “disturbed area” for six months with effect from April 1, 2025, unless withdrawn earlier, it said.

Union home minister Amit Shah had said in 2023 that the AFSPA has been removed in 70% of the areas in the northeastern states even though it is in force in Jammu and Kashmir.

Shah had also said that the central government would consider revoking AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir.