AFSPA will be fully implemented in 3 districts of Arunachal and 9 districts of Nagaland. There are total 16 districts in Nagaland, 26 districts in Arunachal Pradesh.
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)
A restructuring of a British-era law designed to suppress protests during the Quit India Movement, the AFSPA was issued in 1947 through four ordinances. The Ordinances were replaced by an Act in the year 1948 and the existing law in effect in the Northeast was introduced in the Parliament in the year 1958 by the then Home Minister G B Pant.
It was initially known as Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act, 1958. After the coming into existence of the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland, the Act was adapted to apply to these states as well.
The AFSPA gives the Armed Forces and the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in "disturbed areas" unfettered powers to kill anyone who violates the law and search any premises without a warrant, with protection from prosecution and legal proceedings.
This law was first implemented in the year 1958 to deal with the revolt of the Nagas.
The Act was amended in the year 1972 and the powers to declare an area as "disturbed" were conferred on the states as well as the central government.
