NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday extended validity of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in parts of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for six more months, maintaining status quo in terms of police stations and districts tagged as‘disturbed areas” in its notifications issued under AFSPA six months ago.Stating that a further review of the law and order situation in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh had been undertaken, the home ministry, in separate notifications issued for the three states, said the areas already declared as ‘disturbed areas’ would continue to be classified as such for a further period of six months from October 1, 2025.The area that remains ‘disturbed’ in the latest notification issued by the Centre under Section 3 of AFSPA comprises the entire state of Manipur, excluding the areas falling under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations of five districts. These police stations are Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi in Imphal West district; Porompat, Heingang and Irilbung in Imphal East; Thoubal in Thoubal district; Bishnupur and Nambol in Bishnupur district; and Kakching in Kakching district.In Arunachal Pradesh, AFSPA will continue to apply across Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and also areas falling under Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations of Namsai district. The areas in Nagaland where AFSPA will remain in force include the districts of Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri. Also in the list are areas falling under Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha police stations in Kohima District;ii) Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki ‘C’ police stations in Mokokchung District; iii) Yanglok police station in Longleng District; iv) Bhandari, Champang and Ralan police stations in Wokha District; and v) Ghatashi, Pughoboto, Satakha, Suruhuto, Zunheboto and Aghunato police stations in Zunheboto District.
