AFSPA OUT OF MEGHALAYA, ROLLED BACK IN ARUNACHAL

NEW DELHI: The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which empowers security forces to conduct operations, arrest anyone anywhere without prior notice, has been removed from all areas of Meghalaya from March 31. Its area of operation in Arunachal Pradesh has been restricted to three police stations bordering Assam and three districts neighbouring Myanmar, home ministry officials said on Monday.

NEW DELHI: The ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Monday said it has removed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act completely in Meghalaya and restricted its area of operation in Arunachal Pradesh to eight police stations bordering Assam and three districts neighbouring Myanmar, attributing this to the improved “security situation” in the north-east.

Officials said the Act, which gives special rights and immunity to security forces in carrying out various operations in “disturbed” areas, is now in vogue in only 40% of the total area of Arunachal. The Act gives security personnel the power to search premises and arrest people without warrant, and to use force, if required, even causing death.

Ministry officials said the decision to remove the controversial law was taken due to a significant improvement of the security situation in Meghalaya. “AFSPA has been removed from all areas of Meghalaya from March 31, 2018, while in Arunachal Pradesh, areas under AFSPA reduced to eight Police Stations, besides Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts,” said a senior home ministry official on condition of anonymity. “There has been a substantial improvement in security situation in the north-eastern states over the last four years. The year 2017 recorded the lowest number of incidents of insurgency and casualties among civilians and security forces since 1997,” the official added.

AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland for several decades and in Assam from early 1990s.