Centre extends AFSPA in 3 districts of Arunachal for six months

The Centre has extended the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for another six months in Arunachal Pradesh’s three districts and in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the

The Centre has extended the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for another six months in Arunachal Pradesh’s three districts and in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the state’s eight police stations bordering Assam, notifying them as disturbed areas.

The Home Ministry extended the AFSPA in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh and the eight police stations bordering Assam up to March 31, 2019.

Notably, the three districts bordering Myanmar have been under the AFSPA since January 2016. The government had declared these three districts and the eight police stations bordering Assam as disturbed in its earlier notification issued on April 1.

The eight police stations include Balemu and Bhalukpong in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district, Seijosa in East Kameng district, Balijan in Papumpare district, Namsai and Mahadevpur in Namsai district, Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district and Sunpura in Lohit district.

Other than parts of Arunachal Pradesh, the AFSPA is effective in the whole of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur, excluding seven Assembly constituencies of Imphal.

However, the Assam and Manipur Governments now have the powers to keep or revoke the Act.

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