The Centre has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in specified areas of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months, effective from October 1, 2026.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued separate notifications continuing the designation of notified areas as “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of the AFSPA. The extension will remain in force for six months unless withdrawn earlier. The notifications cited a further review of the law and order situation in the three states.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: AFSPA extended for another six months in specified areas of three northeastern states.
Location: Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
Authority/Organisation: Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
Action Taken: Separate notifications issued under Section 3 of the AFSPA.
Impact: The notified areas will continue to remain under the disturbed-area framework from October 1, 2026.
In Manipur, the disturbed-area declaration will continue across most of the state, while areas under 13 police stations in five districts remain outside the notification.
The excluded jurisdictions are in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching districts. The exclusions include police station areas covering Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi in Imphal West; Porompat, Heingang and Irilbung in Imphal East; Thoubal; Bishnupur and Nambol; and Kakching.
In Nagaland, AFSPA has been extended in nine districts -Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri. The notification also covers specified areas under 21 police stations in Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto districts.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The extension keeps AFSPA in force across significant notified areas of the Northeast, including most of Manipur and specified districts and police-station jurisdictions in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The decision is also significant because the geographical coverage differs from state to state, with specific areas excluded in Manipur and defined districts or police-station jurisdictions covered in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the extension covers Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts. It also applies to specified areas under Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district, which borders Assam.
Under AFSPA, areas formally declared “disturbed” can have armed forces deployed to assist civil authorities under the powers provided by the Act. The law provides specified powers to armed forces personnel operating in such notified areas.
The latest decision keeps the existing notified-area framework in place while extending its validity for another six months.
