MHA reviews AFSPA in the Northeast, Army wants more areas in Manipur under Act-OxBig News Network

Police personnel in Manipur. Representative image
| Photo Credit: ANI

At a review meeting chaired by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday (March 20, 2025), the Army sought the inclusion of additional police station limits in Manipur Valley under the ambit of the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act (AFSPA), a senior government official told The Hindu.

On November 14, 2024, out of 19 police stations in seven districts of Manipur, the AFSPA was reimposed in the jurisdiction of six police stations in five districts of Manipur, mostly in the valley, in the wake of ethnic violence in the State that erupted on May 3, 2023.

“The Army proposed that 12 police station limits in valley districts be brought under the AFSPA for operational efficiency. The suggestion was to reimpose the AFSPA in phases, however final decision will be taken by the Ministry,” said the official.

President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13.

At a review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on March 1, the possibility of bringing additional areas under the AFSPA, if required, was deliberated.

The AFSPA was withdrawn from the limits of all valley police stations between April 1, 2022 and April 1, 2023 by the Manipur government amid an improved security situation and “large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 The provisions of the Act were withdrawn from Imphal Municipality area in 2004. The “disturbed area” notification for the hill districts in Manipur has been periodically extended, with the last notification issued on September 26, 2024.

The Ministry reviewed the scope of the AFSPA in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur at a multi-agency meeting on Wednesday (March 19, 2025).

The periodic six-month disturbed area notification for the four States comes to an end on March 31. The Ministry and the State governments extend or withdraw the notification after reviewing the security situation.

“It is likely that one of the four districts in Assam may be de-notified under the AFSPA,” said the official. 

The AFSPA enables both the Central and State governments to issue notifications. Currently, the Ministry issues Disturbed Area notifications only for Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh while the notifications for Manipur and Assam are issued by the respective State governments.

The 1958 law gives powers to the Army and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed in “disturbed areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant, and grants protection from prosecution and legal suits without the Central government’s sanction. The AFSPA came into force in Manipur in 1981. Manipur, a former Union Territory, attained Statehood in 1972.