Decision to withdraw AFSPA from major areas of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur
Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs has withdrawn the “Armed Forces Special Powers Act” (AFSPA) from parts of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.
- AFSPA has been removed from some areas due to the improvement in the security and law and order situation in these states.
- From the year 2014 to 2021, there has been a 74% reduction in the incidents of insurgency in the Northeast region. Also, the deaths of security personnel and civilians have also come down by 60% and 84% respectively.
- In addition, several peace agreements have been signed with rebel groups operating in the region over the years. These include the Bodo Agreement for the year 2020, the Karbi-Anglong Agreement for the year 2021, etc.
- After this announcement, now AFSPA will be applicable only in some parts of these three states. Apart from this, AFSPA is currently in force in some parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act:
- This law gives special powers to the armed forces to restore law and order in “disturbed areas”.
- Sometimes the whole or any part of a State/Union Territory due to violence or disturbance reaches such a state that it becomes difficult to run the civil administration there. In such a situation, when it becomes necessary to use the armed forces to assist the civil administration, then there is a declaration of AFSPA.
- Under Section 3 of the AFSPA Act, 1958, a state or its territory is declared as a “disturbed area”.
- Disturbed area is declared by the governor of the state and the administrator of the union territory or the central government.
Where is it withdrawn?
- Nagaland has been completely removed from 3 districts and partially removed from 4 districts. The areas from which AFSPA has been removed are about 25% of the total area of the state.
- In Assam it has been removed completely from 23 districts, and partially from 1 district. This law is still applicable in 9 districts here. The areas from which AFSPA has been removed are about 60% of the total area of the state
- From Manipur it has been partially removed from 6 Valley districts. Still applicable in hill districts.
Source- The Hindu
