Guwahati: The Central Government has extended special Powers Act (AFSPA) in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh and nine districts of Nagaland for a period of six months beginning on Saturday (October 1).
The AFSPA has been extended in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh, comprising Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts from Saturday, October 1 to March 30 of the next year, according to a notification released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Additionally, the government has expanded the AFSPA to include the portions of Arunachal Pradesh that are under the purview of Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations. Additionally, the AFSPA has been prolonged for a further six months in nine Nagaland districts.
Most of the Northeast is subject to the AFSPA, which campaigners are calling for to be repealed because it grants the military forces extraordinary authority where it is in effect.
Armed forces have the authority under the AFSPA to forbid gatherings of five or more people in a “disturbed area.” In the event of a breakdown of law and order, it also permits security personnel to use force and even to open fire after giving proper notice.
Some of these powers include the ability to shoot anyone who defies the law, the ability to arrest people without a warrant, the ability to stop and search any car or vessel, and the ability to forbid gatherings of five or more persons. The AFSPA also forbids civilians from possessing guns. The statute also grants non-commissioned officers special authority.
There have been several claims of “false contacts” and other human rights breaches by the security forces in “disturbed” areas due to the armed forces’ exceptional privileges.