Centre extends AFSPA in 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh for 6 months

Centre after it decided to reduce areas under AFSPA, on Friday issued a notification to extend its tenure for 6 more months and added three more districts of Arunachal Pradesh under its wing by stating these areas as "disturbed".

New Delhi:The Centre on Friday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh including Tirap, Changlang, and Longding from April 1 to September 30 this year, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. In addition, the Government of India has also extended AFSPA in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations in Arunachal Pradesh.

"The Central Government in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 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, bordering the State of Assam as 'disturbed' areas," the notification read.

The review of the law and order situation in these areas of Arunachal Pradesh has been undertaken by the AFSPA as per the Centre's notification. "A further review of law and order situation in Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations of Arunachal Pradesh has been undertaken," it said.

The Centre has declared these areas as "disturbed" areas under section 3 of ASFPA, 1958 from April 1 to September 30, 2022, unless withdrawn earlier. The AFSPA empowers security forces to arrest a person without a warrant, enter or search premises without a warrant along with some other actions. This development comes after the Centre on Thursday decided to reduce the disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur after decades.

ANI