Nagaland: AFSPA extended for six more months

Kohima: Nagaland has been declared as a “disturbed area” for another six more months. The state was last declared as a “disturbed area” on June 30 this year.

Through a notification issued by the Home Ministry on Wednesday, it said that the central government believes that the area comprising the whole of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.

Also Read: Manipur: AFSPA extended by a year

“Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958) the central government hereby declares that whole of the State to be a ”disturbed area” for a period of six months with effect from 30th December 2020 for the purpose of that said Act,” the home ministry said.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 is an act of the Parliament of India that grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”.

The AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland for decades. It was not withdrawn even after a framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015, by Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and government interlocutor RN Ravi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.