{"id":372950,"date":"2026-09-30T17:05:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:35:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=372950"},"modified":"2026-09-30T17:05:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:35:44","slug":"afspa-significance-concerns-explained-pointwise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/afspa-significance-concerns-explained-pointwise\/","title":{"rendered":"AFSPA &#8211; Significance &#038; Concerns &#8211; Explained Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-372966\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_vfvc0mvfvc0mvfvc.png?resize=750%2C409&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"AFSPA\" width=\"750\" height=\"409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_vfvc0mvfvc0mvfvc.png?w=1408&amp;ssl=1 1408w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_vfvc0mvfvc0mvfvc.png?resize=300%2C164&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_vfvc0mvfvc0mvfvc.png?resize=1024%2C559&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_vfvc0mvfvc0mvfvc.png?resize=768%2C419&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958, for another six months from 1 October 2026 in specified areas of <strong data-start=\"205\" data-end=\"248\">Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh<\/strong>, following a review of the security situation.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Table of Content<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><a href=\"#h1\">What is the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h2\">What are its key provisions?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h3\">What is the significance of AFSPA in maintaining internal security in India?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h4\">What are the major concerns and criticisms associated with the implementation of AFSPA?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h5\">What are the major recommendations of various committees and commissions, along with key Supreme Court judgments, concerning AFSPA?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h6\">What should be the way forward regarding the continued application of AFSPA?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h1\"><\/a>What is the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AFSPA is a central law that gives special powers to the armed forces in areas officially declared as \u201c<strong>disturbed<\/strong>\u201d to help them tackle insurgency and serious internal security threats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The primary objective of AFSPA is to provide the armed forces (including the Army, Air Force, and paramilitary forces) with special legal immunity and powers necessary to control internal conflict, militancy, and insurgency in regions where the civil administration and police are deemed incapable of maintaining law and order.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AFSPA was first promulgated in <strong>1942<\/strong>, by <strong>Linlithgow<\/strong>, in response to the <strong>Quit India Movement<\/strong> in 1942. Its aim was \u201cto confer special powers upon certain officers of the armed forces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After Independence, the Act was retained by the ordinance enacted in <strong>1958<\/strong>, to control increasing violence in the North-eastern States, which the State governments found difficult to control. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In simple terms, AFSPA gives armed forces the power to maintain public order in \u201cdisturbed areas\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Present Status of AFSPA:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #facaca;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Manipur\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 98.9765%;\">In force across the State <strong data-start=\"426\" data-end=\"485\">except areas under 13 police stations in 5 districts<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Nagaland<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 98.9765%;\">\u00a0In force in <strong data-start=\"556\" data-end=\"571\">9 districts <\/strong>(Dimapur, Niuland, Ch\u00fcmoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri) and specified areas under <strong data-start=\"675\" data-end=\"718\">21 police stations in 5 other districts<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Arunachal Pradesh<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 98.9765%;\">In force in <strong data-start=\"798\" data-end=\"841\">Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts<\/strong>, and specified areas under Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Assam<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 98.9765%;\">AFSPA previously covered the entire state. It is now maintained only in <strong>3 border districts\u00a0<\/strong>(Tinsukia, Charaideo, and Sivasagar) due to localized activities of insurgent groups like ULFA.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Jammu &amp; Kashmir<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 98.9765%;\">AFSPA is also applicable under a <strong data-start=\"1270\" data-end=\"1326\">separate J&amp;K Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1990<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Tripura<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 98.9765%;\">Withdrawn in 2015.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Meghalaya<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 98.9765%;\">Withdrawn in 2018.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-372964\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_gcl3qsgcl3qsgcl3.png?resize=750%2C409&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"AFSPA\" width=\"750\" height=\"409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_gcl3qsgcl3qsgcl3.png?w=1408&amp;ssl=1 1408w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_gcl3qsgcl3qsgcl3.png?resize=300%2C164&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_gcl3qsgcl3qsgcl3.png?resize=1024%2C559&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_gcl3qsgcl3qsgcl3.png?resize=768%2C419&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h2\"><\/a>What are its key provisions?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b>Declaration of \u201cdisturbed area\u201d (Section 3):<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Governor of a state, the Administrator of a Union Territory, or the Central Government can declare any area \u201cdisturbed\u201d if the situation requires deployment of the armed forces to aid civil power.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once so notified, the special powers under AFSPA apply in that area.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Special powers of the armed forces (Section 4):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In a notified disturbed area, any commissioned, warrant, non\u2011commissioned officer or equivalent rank can:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use force, even to the extent of causing death, after giving due warning, against persons:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">acting in contravention of law prohibiting assembly of five or more persons, or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">carrying weapons or things capable of being used as weapons or explosives.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Destroy arms dumps, fortified positions, shelters or training camps from which armed attacks are made or likely to be made.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arrest without warrant anyone who has committed, is suspected of having committed, or is about to commit a cognisable offence, using necessary force.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter and search any premises without warrant to make such arrests or recover arms, ammunition, or explosives.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Duties after arrest (Section 5):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Any person arrested and any seized property must be handed over to the nearest police station \u201cwith the least possible delay,\u201d so that normal criminal procedure can then follow.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Legal protection\/immunity (Section 6): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No prosecution, suit or other legal proceeding can be instituted against any person acting under AFSPA, except with the prior sanction of the Central Government. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This clause is intended to protect personnel acting in good faith during operations, but is also the main focus of human\u2011rights criticism.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h3\"><\/a>What is the significance of AFSPA in maintaining internal security in India?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Enables deployment in high\u2011risk \u201cdisturbed areas\u201d:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> AFSPA allows the Centre or Governor to declare an area \u201cdisturbed,\u201d enabling the armed forces to aid civil authorities where police and local administration cannot control violence or insurgency.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Provides operational flexibility to forces: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Powers to use force after warning, arrest without warrant, and conduct searches and seizures allow the army\/paramilitary to react quickly and pre\u2011empt threats such as ambushes, armed mobs, or militant movements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthens state capacity in conflict zones:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In border and remote regions with difficult terrain and weak policing, AFSPA is seen as necessary to secure roads, infrastructure, elections, and civilian life against insurgent or terrorist groups.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legal protection for personnel:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Requirement of prior central sanction for prosecution under AFSPA is argued to protect soldiers from vexatious litigation and allow them to act decisively in life\u2011threatening situations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National security and territorial integrity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Act is justified by governments as essential to preserve sovereignty and integrity in regions facing secessionist, insurgent or cross\u2011border militant movements.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h4\"><\/a>What are the major concerns and criticisms associated with the implementation of AFSPA?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b>Human rights violations: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wide powers to shoot, arrest without warrant, and search are seen as enabling extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, rape, and harassment of civilians in states like Manipur, Nagaland, J&amp;K and others.\u200b <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human rights groups, UN experts and civil society describe AFSPA as \u201cdraconian\u201d and incompatible with international human-rights norms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Legal immunity and lack of accountability: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Section 6 requires prior central government sanction before prosecuting armed forces personnel, which is rarely granted, leading to near\u2011impunity even in serious abuse cases.\u200b <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This undermines rule of law and victims\u2019 access to justice, and is seen as violating fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Violation of fundamental rights and militarisation:\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critics say AFSPA effectively suspends normal constitutional protections in \u201cdisturbed areas,\u201d normalising prolonged militarisation and eroding civil liberties such as the right to life, liberty, movement and expression.\u200b Long-term deployment of the army for internal policing is argued to blur civil-military boundaries and weaken civilian institutions.\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Misuse, excess force and distrust:\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supreme Court judgments have noted that any use of excessive or retaliatory force is illegal even under AFSPA, but multiple inquiries have documented fake encounters and misuse, deepening local resentment and distrust of the state.\u200b Critics argue that such practices fuel alienation and may actually worsen insurgency instead of resolving it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Committee recommendations for repeal\/reform:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jeevan Reddy Committee and the Second Administrative Reforms Commission both recommended repeal of AFSPA, with key provisions to be shifted into a more rights\u2011compliant law like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other bodies, like the Santosh Hegde Commission and Justice Verma Committee, have called for strong review, tighter oversight and removal of blanket immunity. \u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h5\"><\/a>What are the major recommendations of various committees and commissions, along with key Supreme Court judgments, concerning AFSPA?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b8f2e8;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 3.32651%;\"><b>Supreme Court Judgements on AFSPA<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 96.6735%;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Naga People\u2019s Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India (1998)<\/strong>: The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of AFSPA. However, it laid down guidelines and safeguards for the exercise of powers under the Act. It held that the armed forces must act within the framework of law and that the declaration of a \u201cdisturbed area\u201d is subject to periodic review.<\/li>\n<li><b>Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association (EEVFAM) v. Union of India (2016):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Supreme Court ruled that every encounter death must be investigated by the state police, regardless of AFSPA. It held that excessive or retaliatory force is unlawful, even in disturbed areas, and consolidated prior jurisprudence on AFSPA&#8217;s limits.\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 3.32651%;\"><strong>Recommendations of Various Committees and Commissions on AFSPA<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 96.6735%;\">\n<ul>\n<li><b>Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy Committee (2004):<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Repeal AFSPA entirely.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incorporate appropriate provisions to Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set up district grievance cells.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit army deployment to 6 months with parliamentary review.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2nd ARC) (2007):<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li>Recommended replacing AFSPA by incorporating its essential and operational provisions into the UAPA to avoid parallel legal frameworks.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Replace it with humane legislation balancing security and rights.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Justice Santosh Hegde Committee (2013):<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li>AFSPA must be reviewed every 6 months to assess whether its continuation is genuinely necessary.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"citation-1235\">Security forces should <\/span><span class=\"citation-1235\">not enjoy blanket immunity<\/span><span class=\"citation-1235 citation-end-1235\"> under Section 6. Criminal investigations must proceed if excessive force or illegal acts are committed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Called it a &#8220;symbol of oppression.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Justice J.S. Verma Committee (2013): <\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Review AFSPA urgently, especially for sexual offences by armed forces. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try such cases under ordinary criminal law, not military courts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>National Human Rights Commission (NHRC):<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"citation-1234 citation-end-1234\">Restrict AFSPA usage strictly as a temporary measure rather than an indefinite governance tool.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Strictly enforce mandatory procedures following arrests or encounters, including mandatory FIR registration, independent magisterial inquiries, and immediate reporting to the NHRC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h6\"><\/a>What should be the way forward regarding the continued application of AFSPA?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b>Phased Withdrawal and Review:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Withdraw AFSPA from areas where normalcy has returned (e.g. parts of J&amp;K, Northeast) after security assessments, as done in Tripura (2015) and Meghalaya (2018).\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mandate periodic 6-month reviews by Parliament or an independent body, with automatic sunset clauses for notifications.<\/span><br \/>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ebeda4;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.071%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Approach\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 31.965%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Pros\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 44.9639%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Cons\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.071%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Full repeal<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 31.965%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ends impunity, restores rights<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 44.9639%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May weaken counter-insurgency in active conflict zones.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.071%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Targeted Reform<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 31.965%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Balances security &amp; rights.<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 44.9639%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Requires political will, implementation capacity.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.071%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phased Withdrawal<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 31.965%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Builds trust, tests normalcy.<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 44.9639%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Risk of resurgence if premature.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Reforms to Existing Law:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amend Section 6 to make prior sanction faster and more transparent (e.g. time-bound decisions, judicial oversight), and allow prosecution for grave human rights violations without sanction.\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen Section 5 to ensure arrested persons are handed to police within 24 hours, with mandatory video recording of operations.\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incorporate Supreme Court guidelines: mandatory FIRs and investigations for all deaths in encounters, independent magisterial inquiries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Institutional Strengthening:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)-monitored oversight mechanism for AFSPA operations, with local grievance cells as recommended by the Jeevan Reddy Committee.\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhance training for armed forces on human rights, minimal force, and distinction between combatants and civilians.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Long-term Alternatives:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shift non-combat powers (arrest, search) to police and paramilitary under UAPA or CrPC, reserving army for active combat only.\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Invest in development, policing capacity, and peace-building in disturbed areas to reduce need for military deployment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"16,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Addressing Root Causes:<\/b> AFSPA is a tool to control symptoms, not resolve conflict. Sustainable stability requires political negotiation, political integration, socio-economic development, and resolving identity\/ethnic disputes through dialogue.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/span>: AFSPA should be viewed as an exceptional security measure rather than a permanent governance mechanism. By strengthening local civil law enforcement, enforcing strict accountability for operational excesses, implementing judicial and commission recommendations, and prioritizing political dialogue, India can transition away from extraordinary martial powers toward normalized civil governance.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">UPSC GS-3: Internal Security<br \/>\nRead More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/manipur\/afspa-extended-in-manipur-nagaland-and-arunachal-pradesh-what-does-the-law-mean-explained\/article71512257.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Hindu<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958, for another six months from 1 October 2026 in specified areas of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, following a review of the security situation. Table of Content What is the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)? What are&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/afspa-significance-concerns-explained-pointwise\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">AFSPA &#8211; Significance &#038; Concerns &#8211; Explained Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10391,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-372950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10391"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=372950"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372950\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=372950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=372950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=372950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}