April 23,2018:
On Monday, a Senior Home Ministry Official stated that Centre has revoked Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from Meghalaya since April 1.
Earlier the AFSPA was effective in 20 km area along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the impact of AFSPA was reduced to eight police stations instead of the 16 police stations and in Tirap, Longding and Changlang districts bordering Assam.
Ministry has relaxed the Protected Area Permit (PAP) for foreigners visiting Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland.
PAP will be valid for five years, but residents from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China will not be allowed to visit these areas.
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is effective in whole of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur (excluding seven assembly constituencies of Imphal) and parts of Arunachal Pradesh. As per Section 3 of the AFSPA, it can be invoked in places “where the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.”
AFSPA gives power to army and central forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant and provide cover to forces from prosecution and legal suits without Centre’s sanction.
Tripura withdrew AFSPA in 2015. Last year, the Home Ministry gave up its power and asked the Assam government to take a decision on continuing AFSPA in the State.
On March 20, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, MoS Home, informed the Lok Sabha that Centre was considering a proposal to make AFSPA more “operationally effective and humane.”
Source Hindu
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