Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958
The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was passed by the Indian Parliament on September 11, 1958. Armed forces deployed in 'disturbed areas' of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland have been given special powers under this law. troubled It was implemented to help the army in action in the Northeast. Later, in the year 1989, when terrorism raised its head in Jammu and Kashmir, it was implemented there in the year 1990 as well. AFSPA law is imposed in the area which the central government declares as a 'disturbed area'. The law empowers the army to detain any person without a warrant, to inspect any vehicle and to locate and destroy the hide outs of militants. Significantly, this law has helped a lot in restoring peace in these areas.The validity of AFSPA has been questioned from time to time by human rights organisations, separatists and many political parties. They argue that the fundamental rights of thecitizens affected by this law are violated. However, in view of the protests in the state of Manipur in 2004, Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy Committee was constituted. In 2007, the Second Administrative Reforms Commission also recommended a review of the law.
It is worth mentioning that till some time ago, AFSPA in the entire state of Assam, from the year 1990 in the state of Meghalaya 20 km wide strip along the border of Assam in the year 1986 in the entire state of Nagaland, from the year 1991 in some districts of Arunachal Pradesh, in the year Since 2012 in the Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh, since 2004 the entire state of Manipur except Imphal Municipality and since 2015 in the areas under the jurisdiction of 16 police stations located in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam. But recently the Union Home Ministry has completely removed Apsya from Meghalaya and limited it to 8 police station areas along the Assam border of Arunachal Pradesh and 3 police station areas along the Myanmar border. Recently AFSPA has been partially removed from 9 districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
AFSPA was enacted with effect from July 5, 1990 in the disturbed areas of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is applicable from 6th July, 1990 in Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Srinagar and since 2001 in Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts.
AFSPA (from areas falling under the jurisdiction of Tripura State 30 Police Stations) has been withdrawn by the Tripura State Government.
