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News: The Union Home Ministry has reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur. It has issued a notification to declare six police station limits in five districts as disturbed areas. These areas are the buffer zones, where Kuki-Zo and Meitei villages converge.
1. Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958: It was enacted by Indian Parliament in 1958 to confer special powers and immunity upon the members of armed forces in disturbed areas.
2. Section 3 of the Act grants the power to declare an area as disturbed to the central government or the governor of the state or administrator of the union territory.
3. The special powers of the armed forces include use of force to maintain law and order, arresting without a warrant, prohibiting the gathering of five or more persons, conducting search and seizure operations.
4. The armed forces are immune from all legal actions unless the government grants sanction for their prosecution.
5. Apart from Manipur, AFSPA remains in force in parts of Nagaland, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
6. Committees related to AFSPA: A) Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee 2004 B) 5th Report of 2nd ARC 2007 C) Santosh Hegde Committee 2013
