The Union Government on December 30, 2020 extended its “disturbed area” tag on Nagaland for six more months.
- The Union Home Minister in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, declared the whole of the State of Nagaland to be disturbed area for a period of six months.
- The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been in force in Nagaland for several decades.
- The act empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without prior warrant, and to open fire if deemed “necessary for the maintenance of public order”.
- The AFSPA has not been withdrawn even after a framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 by Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM and government interlocutor R N Ravi.
