The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced a six-month extension of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in parts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. This decision comes after a comprehensive review of the law and order situation in both states.
In the first notification, the Central Government has declared that eight districts and 21 police stations in Nagaland are designated as “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, for a period of six months starting from April 1, 2023. However, a subsequent review of the law and order situation in Nagaland has led to an extension of this declaration.
The districts of Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, and Peren in Nagaland, along with specific areas under various police stations, are declared as “disturbed areas” starting from October 1, 2023, unless withdrawn earlier.
In another notification, the Central Government has also extended AFSPA in certain areas of Arunachal Pradesh. The districts of Tirap, Changlang, and Longding, along with specific areas under Namsai, Mahadevpur, and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district, bordering Assam, are declared as “disturbed areas” for a period of six months starting from October 1, 2022, unless withdrawn earlier.
AFSPA grants the armed forces the authority to maintain public order in regions designated as “disturbed areas.” These extensions are made in the interest of preserving law and order in these regions, as per the provisions of AFSPA.
Read Now:Canadian Police Deny Delay in Hardeep Singh Nijjar Murder Probe
