New Delhi, The Indian government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has renewed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), a law that grants extensive powers to the armed forces, in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for an additional six months starting April 1.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued notifications extending the application of AFSPA in eight districts of Nagaland – Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, and Peren – and in 21 police station areas across five other districts. In Arunachal Pradesh, the act has been extended in the Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts, as well as in areas falling under the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur, and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district, which is adjacent to Assam.

The AFSPA allows military and paramilitary forces to conduct operations, arrest, or even kill suspects without a warrant, search premises without prior notice, and offers immunity from prosecution unless specifically sanctioned by the Indian government. This law has been described as draconian by its critics due to the sweeping powers it confers on the military and the potential for human rights abuses.

The extension of AFSPA in these regions has been met with strong opposition from various political parties, non-governmental organizations, and civil society groups in the northeast, who have been advocating for the complete revocation of the act. This outcry has been particularly pronounced following an incident in December 2021, where Indian forces killed 14 individuals and wounded 30 in Mon district of Nagaland, reigniting debates over the law’s impact on civilian life and its compatibility with democratic values.