AFSPA
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is the legal framework under which the Indian Army and paramilitary forces operate in Manipur and other parts of the Northeast. Its continued operation in conflict zones is both a security tool and a source of persistent human rights controversy.
- AFSPA empowers the Central Government or a Governor to declare any area a "disturbed area" — once declared, armed forces personnel can search, arrest without warrant, use force (including lethal force), and destroy property without prior sanction from civil authorities.
- Crucially, prosecuting armed forces personnel for alleged violations under AFSPA requires prior sanction from the Central Government — a provision that critics argue creates de facto impunity.
- Manipur has been under AFSPA (in varying geographical extents) since 1980. Following improvements in the security situation, the Act was partially revoked from valley areas of Manipur in 2022 — but the 2023 ethnic violence led to effective re-extension of security operations in disturbed hill districts.
- The CRPF and Assam Rifles operate under a dual command structure in Northeast India — with Assam Rifles under the Ministry of Defence but also assigned to internal security duties under the Ministry of Home Affairs — a structure that has periodically created coordination difficulties.
- The Supreme Court's 2016 judgment in Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association v. Union of India held that AFSPA does not give security forces a licence to commit illegal killings, and that even in disturbed areas, every death must be investigated.
● Tracked since March 10, 2026 · last seen August 21, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
11 Jun '26
Will remove AFSPA from Northeast barring one or two States next year: Shah
Internal Security
11 Jun '26
Entire NE, barring one or two states, may be out of AFSPA by next year: Shah
Internal Security
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