The Centre extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, in specified areas of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months from 1 October 2026. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued Gazette notifications on 25 September 2026 after a review of the law and order situation in the three northeastern states.
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, is a law that allows deployment of armed forces in areas declared as “disturbed”. The Act is associated with special powers for armed forces personnel in notified areas, including search, arrest and use of force under specified legal conditions.
Disturbed Area Declaration
A “disturbed area” is a notified region where the Central Government or the Governor can apply AFSPA for a limited period. The declaration is used in parts of states where the security situation is assessed under the statutory framework of the Act.
State-wise Coverage of the Extension
In Manipur, the disturbed area declaration covers the entire state except areas under 13 police stations in five districts: Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching. In Nagaland, AFSPA has been extended in nine districts, namely Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri, along with areas under 21 police stations in five other districts. In Arunachal Pradesh, the extension applies to Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, and to areas under Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district.
Important Facts for Exams
- AFSPA stands for the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
- The Act is linked with the legal term “disturbed area”.
- Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are among the northeastern states where AFSPA has been applied in selected areas.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs issues Gazette notifications for such statutory extensions.
Exam-Relevant Static Points
AFSPA was enacted in 1958 and is a Union law. Gazette notifications are official government publications used for legal and administrative orders in India.
