AFSPA Extended in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for Six Months
The Centre has extended AFSPA in most of Manipur, nine districts of Nagaland and three districts of Arunachal Pradesh for another six months.
The Union Home Ministry has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in parts of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for a further six months, declaring the covered areas as "disturbed" under the 1958 law.
In Manipur, the entire state has been brought under the Act except the areas falling under 13 police stations spread across five districts. The excluded stations are Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Irilbung, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol and Kakching. The notification, issued under Section 3 of the Act, will remain in force for six months from October 1, 2026, unless withdrawn earlier.
The move follows a review of the law and order situation in the state, which has seen ethnic violence since May 2023. AFSPA was reimposed in November 2024 in the limits of six police stations across five districts, mostly in the valley, after the unrest. President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, 2025, and revoked on February 4 this year.
The Act had earlier been withdrawn from all valley police stations between April 1, 2022, and April 1, 2023, amid an improved security situation. It was removed from the Imphal Municipality area in 2004. For the hill districts, the disturbed area notification has been extended periodically for three decades, with the last one issued on March 23, 2026. AFSPA has been in force in Manipur since 1981, when it was still a Union Territory; it attained statehood in 1972.
In Nagaland, the Act has been extended for six months in nine districts — Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri — along with 21 police stations in five other districts: Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto.
In Arunachal Pradesh, Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, as well as areas under the Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district bordering Assam, have been declared disturbed areas for another six months.
The 1958 legislation empowers the Army and Central Armed Police Forces deployed in disturbed areas to open fire on anyone acting in contravention of the law, arrest and search premises without a warrant, and shields personnel from prosecution or legal action without the Central government's sanction.