AFSPA Extended in Manipur and Other Northeastern States Amid Ongoing Tensions

Extension of AFSPA in Manipur and Beyond

New Delhi: The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been renewed for an additional six months across Manipur, with the exception of 13 police station jurisdictions, due to the ongoing law and order challenges in the region.

This legislation, which allows certain areas to be classified as 'disturbed', has also been applied to nine districts in Nagaland and 21 police station areas across five districts in that state, as per a recent announcement from the Union Home Ministry.

Additionally, the law has been extended to the districts of Tirap, Changlang, and Longding in Arunachal Pradesh, along with three police station areas in Namsai district, which borders Assam.

The designation of these areas as disturbed will take effect from October 1 for a duration of six months.

Critics often label the AFSPA as a harsh law, granting the military extensive powers to conduct searches, make arrests, and use lethal force when deemed necessary.

The notification regarding Manipur states, "A further assessment of the law and order situation has been conducted. Therefore, under the authority of Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, the entire state of Manipur, excluding the jurisdictions of the specified 13 police stations, is declared a 'disturbed area' for six months starting from October 1, 2025, unless revoked sooner."

The police stations exempt from AFSPA in Manipur include: Imphal, Lamphal, City, Singjamei, Patsoi, Wangoi in Imphal West district; Porompat, Heingang, Irilbung in Imphal East district; Thoubal in Thoubal district; and Bishnupur, Nambol, and Kakching in their respective districts.

Since February 13, Manipur has been under President's rule following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, which came after ethnic clashes that resulted in over 260 fatalities since May 2023.

The disturbed area status had been in effect across Manipur (excluding the Imphal municipality area) from 2004 until early 2022.

In April 2022, the state government announced that the disturbed area designation would no longer apply to seven police station areas in Imphal West, four in Imphal East, and one each in Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Jiribam districts.

At that time, Manipur comprised 16 districts.

In October 2024, the government reinstated AFSPA across the entire state, with the exception of 19 police station areas. A month later, the law was also extended to six of those areas following violence in Jiribam district.

The ethnic violence between the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo groups from the surrounding hills has led to over 260 deaths and displaced thousands since May 2023.

In a separate announcement, the home ministry indicated that a review of the law and order situation in Nagaland had been conducted.

Consequently, districts such as Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren, and Meluri in Nagaland have been classified as 'disturbed areas' under Section 3 of the AFSPA for six months starting October 1, 2025, unless revoked earlier.

The government also confirmed that areas under the jurisdiction of specific police stations in Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha, and Zunheboto districts will continue to be designated as 'disturbed areas' for an additional six months from October 1.

A third notification from the home ministry stated that a review of the law and order situation in Arunachal Pradesh has also been conducted.

As a result, the districts of Tirap, Changlang, and Longding, along with areas within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur, and Chowkham police stations in Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Assam, are declared 'disturbed areas' under Section 3 of the AFSPA for six months starting October 1, 2025, unless withdrawn sooner.

There have been ongoing protests and calls for the complete repeal of the AFSPA in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir due to its perceived 'draconian' nature.

Activist Irom Chanu Sharmila famously protested against the law by enduring a hunger strike for 16 years, which she concluded on August 9, 2016.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah previously stated that AFSPA has been lifted in 70% of the northeastern regions, although it remains in effect in Jammu and Kashmir.