Photo: PTI (Representational image)
Guwahati, March 25: The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 in parts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.
The centre announced about the extension of the ‘disturbed area’ status in two separate notifications wherein it has been mentioned that the decisions have been taken after review of the law-and-order situation in both the states.
The AFSPA gives armed forces personnel, operating in disturbed areas, sweeping powers to search, arrest, and to open fire if they deem it necessary for "maintenance of public order".
The home ministry said the central government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the AFSPA 1958 (28 of 1958) had declared the Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the state of Assam as 'disturbed area' on September 30, 2022.
One more police station area has been brought under the ambit of the AFSPA through the fresh notification.
In the other notification, the home ministry said the central government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the AFSPA, 1958 (28 of 1958) had declared eight districts and 21 police stations areas falling under five other districts of Nagaland as 'disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from October 1, 2022.
"And whereas a further review of the law and order situation in the state of Nagaland has been undertaken. Now, therefore, Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek and Peren districts in Nagaland and the areas in Nagaland falling within the jurisdiction of i) Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha police stations in Kohima District; ii) Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki 'C' police stations in Mokokchung District; iii) Yanglok police station in Longleng District; iv) Bhandari, Champang and Ralan police stations in Wokha District; and v) Ghatashi, Pughoboto, Satakha, Suruhuto, Zunheboto and Aghunato police stations in Zunheboto District, are declared as 'disturbed area' under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for a period of six months with effect from April 1, 2023, unless withdrawn earlier," the notification said.