The Centre has retained AFSPA in most of Manipur and selected areas of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months from October 1 after reviewing the law-and-order situation in the three Northeast States.
Key Takeaways
- AFSPA will remain in force for another six months in most parts of Manipur, effective October 1.
- Nine Nagaland districts and specified areas in five other districts will continue under the law.
- Tirap, Changlang and Longding in Arunachal Pradesh will also remain classified as disturbed areas.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, across most parts of Manipur and specified areas of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months.
The extensions will take effect from October 1, according to three separate notifications issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The latest orders keep the special law in force in areas that the Centre continues to classify as “disturbed”. The AFSPA gives armed forces operating in such areas powers to search premises, arrest individuals and use firearms when they consider it necessary to maintain public order.
AFSPA Extension in Manipur
The Centre has extended AFSPA across Manipur for another six months, but 13 police station areas in five districts remain outside its coverage.
The excluded areas are located in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching districts. All five districts are situated in the Imphal Valley.
Manipur has 16 districts in total.
The state has faced prolonged ethnic violence between the majority Meitei community and Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal groups since May 3, 2023. The conflict has claimed more than 260 lives since the violence began.
The prolonged unrest also led to the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, 2025. It came four days after N Biren Singh resigned as Chief Minister on February 9.
Biren Singh was heading the second BJP-led government in the state at the time.
President’s Rule was later withdrawn after Yumnam Khemchand Singh became Chief Minister on February 4 this year.
Officials in Imphal said the latest AFSPA decision followed a review of the law-and-order situation in the state.
The Centre invoked Section 3 of the AFSPA, 1958, while issuing the extension.
Nagaland Areas Remain Under AFSPA
The MHA has also continued AFSPA in nine districts of Nagaland.
The districts are Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri.
The order also covers 21 police station areas spread across five other districts — Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto.
The specified areas will continue to be classified as “disturbed areas” for another six months.
The government reviewed the prevailing law-and-order situation before extending AFSPA in these parts of Nagaland.
Arunachal Pradesh Notification
In Arunachal Pradesh, AFSPA has been extended in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts.
The order also covers areas under Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district, which borders Assam.
The notified areas have been declared “disturbed areas” for six months from October 1.
The Centre also reviewed the security and law-and-order situation in the affected areas before continuing the legislation.
Calls for Withdrawal Continue
The continuation of AFSPA has periodically drawn protests from organisations in Manipur and other northeastern states.
In Manipur, groups including the Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF), Nupi Khunai-Yairipok and Meira Paibis have demanded the withdrawal of the special law.
The latest extensions therefore come against a backdrop of continuing demands from several organisations for an end to AFSPA in the affected states.
AFSPA Coverage Reduced in Northeast
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that the MHA had withdrawn AFSPA from several parts of Assam.
The law was first imposed across Assam in 1990 when insurgent activities, including those associated with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), were at a high level.
Since then, the Centre has renewed AFSPA at six-month intervals. Periodic security reviews have also led to the removal of several areas from its coverage.
The northeastern region has seen a gradual reduction in AFSPA coverage as security conditions improved.
The law was withdrawn from Tripura in 2015 and Meghalaya in 2018. Mizoram saw AFSPA removed in the 1980s.
The latest MHA notifications keep the legislation in force across specified areas of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh from October 1 for another six months. (Edited by Enewstime Desk)