The Centre has decided to decrease the jurisdiction of “disturbed areas” declared under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur from April.
For the last six months, AFSPA has been in force in eight districts and one sub-division of Assam and in most of Manipur, except 15 Police station areas in six districts of the state.
AFSPA was earlier in force in all nine districts of Nagaland, but it has now been reduced to eight. The entire Zunheboto district will no longer be treated as a “disturbed” area.
The “disturbed areas” notification was applicable in the whole of Nagaland from since 1995 but it was withdrawn from 15 police stations of seven districts with effect from April 1, last year. It is further being withdrawn from three other police stations with effect from April 1.
In Arunachal Pradesh however, one more police station (PS) area, under Chowkham PS, has been declared a “disturbed area” under AFSPA for another six months. Three more districts figure in the “disturbed area” list.