- Context: The Ministry of Home Affairs on September 26, 2025 extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland for another six months.
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- In Manipur, affected by ethnic violence since May 2023, the AFSPA has been extended in the whole State, except in jurisdictions of 13 police stations in five valley districts.
- 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, bordering Assam, were declared as ‘disturbed areas’ for another six months.
- In Nagaland, the AFSPA was extended for another six months in nine districts – Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri, and 21 police station limits of five other districts — Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto.
AFSPA, 1958
- Section 3 of the AFSPA,1958 empowers the Governor of any State or the Central government or the administrator of that Union Territory to issue an official notification declaring the state or region within as a “disturbed area” .
- Section 4- Special Powers of the armed forces- Any commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer or any other person of equivalent rank in the armed forces may, in a disturbed area
- if he is of opinion that it is necessary so to do for the maintenance of public order, after giving such due warning as he may consider necessary, fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any person who is acting in contravention of any law or order.
- For the time being in force in the disturbed area prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons or the carrying of weapons or of things capable of being used as weapons or of fire-arms, ammunition or explosive substances;
- if he is of opinion that it is necessary so to do, destroy any arms dump, prepared or fortified position or shelter from which armed attacks are made or are likely to be made or are attempted to be made,
- or any structure used as a training camp for armed volunteers or utilized as a hide-out by armed gangs or absconders wanted for any offence;
(c) arrest, without warrant, any person who has committed a cognizable offence or against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed or is about to commit a cognizable offence and may use such force as may be necessary to effect the arrest;
(d) Enter and search premises without a warrant to make such arrests, recover wrongfully confined persons, or seize stolen property, arms, ammunition, or explosives, using necessary force.