Imphal: The Manipur government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) for an additional six months, effective October 1st, 2024, in response to ongoing ethnic violence in the northeastern state. This extension excludes areas covered by 19 police stations.

In a notification, Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar announced that the state government has opted to maintain the status quo due to violent activities by extremist and insurgent groups, as well as concerns about the overall law and order situation and the capacity of state authorities. The government assessed the current conditions and determined that a comprehensive evaluation on the ground is not feasible at this time.

The notification stated that security agencies were preoccupied with the maintenance of law and order. “Furthermore, it will be premature to arrive at any conclusion or decision on such a sensitive matter without a detailed assessment, thereby making it inappropriate to review the ‘Disturbed Area’ status of the state at the moment,” said the notification dated September 26.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), in effect in Manipur since the early 1980s, is based on a colonial-era ordinance. It provides the armed forces with special powers to maintain public order in designated "disturbed areas." The act has faced significant criticism for granting extensive authority to the military.

The AFSPA prohibits prosecutions without the go-ahead from the Union government if the allegations are linked to duty. A prior sanction from the Union government is needed for any legal proceedings against the armed forces operating in areas where the AFSPA is implemented.

The AFSPA was revoked from the Imphal municipality area in 2004, from areas under 15 police stations across six districts in April 2022, and from four police stations in April 2023.

BI Bureau