Centre extends AFSPA across Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for six more months

The central government has extended the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in disturbed areas of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for a further six months, according to the latest official notification. The extension takes effect from October 1 and will remain in force unless withdrawn earlier.

AFSPA grants the armed forces sweeping powers to conduct operations, make arrests and use force in regions officially designated as disturbed areas. The act has long been a source of controversy in the north-east, with civil society groups demanding its repeal while security agencies argue it remains essential to counter insurgency.

Manipur's disturbed area status has been separately renewed to take effect from October 2026 for a further six-month period, reflecting continued concern over violence in the state. The back-to-back renewals signal that the government does not consider conditions in the region sufficiently stable to ease the military's operational mandate.