As per a parliamentary standing committee report, the Centre wanted to reduce the areas under the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act (AFSPA) in Assam but the State government rejected the proposal.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act enacted in the year 1958, provides special powers to Indian Armed Forces in ‘disturbed areas’ to maintain law and order.
Disturbed area is one which is declared by a notification under Section 3 of the AFSPA, due to differences or disputes between members of different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities.
The Central Government, or the Governor of the State or administrator of the Union Territory can declare the whole or part of the State or Union Territory as a disturbed area.
AFSPA allows any commissioned officer, warrant officer and non commissioned officer or any other of equivalent rank to use force acting in contravention of any law, arrest on suspicion, conduct searches without warrant etc.
It is effective in the whole of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur (excluding seven assembly constituencies of Imphal) and parts of Arunachal Pradesh.
