AFSPA extended for six months in the entire Manipur, except the jurisdictions of 13 police stations. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday (March 30, 2025) extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the States of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland for another six months.
In Manipur, affected by ethnic violence, the AFSPA has been extended in the whole State, except for the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five of the State’s valley districts.
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“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Police Stations of 5 districts, as ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months with effect from 01.04.2025, unless withdrawn earlier,” the MHA’s notification said.
The excluded police stations are Imphal, Lamphel, City police station, Singjamei, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Irilbung, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol, and Kakching.
On November 14, 2024, out of 19 police stations in seven districts of Manipur, the AFSPA was reimposed in the limits of six police stations in five districts, mostly in the valley, in the wake of ethnic violence in the State that erupted on May 3, 2023.
President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13.
The AFSPA was withdrawn from all the State’s valley police stations from April 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023 by the Manipur government amid an improved security situation, and “large sense of security among general public”.
The provisions of the Act were withdrawn from the Imphal Municipality area in 2004. The disturbed area notification for the hill districts in Manipur has been periodically extended for the past three decades, with the last notification issued on September 26, 2024.
In Nagaland, the AFSPA was extended for another six months in eight districts, and 21 police stations in five other districts, another MHA notification said.
In Arunachal Pradesh, Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Assam, were declared as a ‘disturbed area’ for another six months.
The 1958 law gives power to the Indian Army and the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant, and protection from prosecution and legal suits without the Central government’s sanction.
The AFSPA has been applicable in Manipur since 1981. Manipur, a former Union Territory, attained Statehood in 1972.
Published – March 30, 2025 04:18 pm IST