Guwahati: The Centre has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (Afspa) for another six months from Oct 1 in parts of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh declared as “disturbed areas”.The extension comes amid continuing security concerns linked to ethnic conflict, insurgency and cross-border militant activity in parts of these three northeastern states bordering Myanmar. The govt has said more than 80% of the northeast is now outside the ambit of the law.The current term of the law that gives special powers to armed forces in these areas is due to end on Sept 30.In Assam, where the state govt, and not the Centre, has been issuing its own periodic “disturbed area” notifications since 2017, the current six-month term is also due to expire on Sept 30. However, no fresh notification extending the term of imposition of the law has been issued till the time of filing this report.In Manipur, the law has been extended across the state except areas under 13 police stations in five districts — Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi in Imphal West district, Porompat, Heingang and Irilbung in Imphal East district, Thoubal in Thoubal district, Bishnupur in Bishnupur district and Nambol and Kakching in Kakching district.The extension comes as Manipur continues to deal with the security fallout of the ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023.In Nagaland, the law has been retained in nine districts of Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri besides specified police station areas in Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto districts.The notification covers Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha police stations in Kohima district, Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki ‘C’ in Mokokchung, Yanglok in Longleng, Bhandari, Champang and Ralan in Wokha and Ghatashi, Pughoboto, Satakha, Suruhoto, Zunheboto and Aghunato in Zunheboto district.In Arunachal Pradesh, the law has been extended in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, besides areas under Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district bordering Assam.Besides these three states, the law is currently in force only in three Assam districts of Tinsukia, Chariadeo and Sivasagar since April. Once applicable across the state, it was progressively reduced. In April 2022, it was removed from 23 districts and partly from another. By April 2023, it was down to eight districts, and subsequently reduced to three districts.
