The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which grants sweeping powers to the armed forces in areas classified as “disturbed,” has been extended for another six months in certain districts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
AFSPA gives the armed forces the authority to search, arrest, and even open fire if necessary to maintain public order. The law is often applied in regions where insurgencies or violence make the deployment of security forces essential. Under Section 3 of the AFSPA, these areas are officially declared “disturbed” to facilitate military operations.
In Nagaland, the Act has been re-imposed in eight districts, including Dimapur, Mon, and Phek, as well as 21 police station areas spread across five other districts. Similarly, in Arunachal Pradesh, three districts—Tirap, Changlang, and Longding—and some areas within Namsai district have also been declared as disturbed for six months, starting from October 1, 2024.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had previously stated that AFSPA has been removed from 70% of areas in northeastern states, but it remains in effect in both Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the northeast. There have been ongoing calls from various groups and individuals to revoke AFSPA in these regions.
