HT Digital
KOHIMA, APR 2: The Union Government on Tuesday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) to Nagaland’s Meluri district for six months, further expanding the law’s reach in the region. This decision follows a recent extension of AFSPA to multiple other locations in the state, intensifying its enforcement.
The extension comes just two days after AFSPA was imposed in eight districts and 21 police station areas across five other districts of Nagaland. In an official notification, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs declared Meluri—created in November 2024 after being carved out from Phek district—a ‘disturbed area.’ This designation follows the March 30 classification of Phek and seven other districts under the same status.
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According to the notification, Meluri will fall under the jurisdiction of AFSPA from April 1, 2025, for a period of six months, unless the government decides to revoke it earlier.
AFSPA grants sweeping powers to security forces operating in ‘disturbed areas,’ allowing them to conduct searches, make arrests, and even use lethal force without facing legal prosecution unless specifically authorized by the central government. The law has long been a subject of controversy, with critics arguing that it provides excessive immunity to the armed forces, often at the expense of human rights.
Nagaland is not the only state where AFSPA has been extended. The law is currently in effect across the entire state of Manipur, barring 13 police station areas, and has also been expanded to additional districts in Arunachal Pradesh.
The latest AFSPA extension comes after an assessment of the prevailing law and order situation, with authorities aiming to bolster security in response to ongoing unrest in the region.
