The Union government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in select districts of Arunachal Pradesh for another six months, effective from October 1, 2025.
According to a notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts, along with parts of Namsai district covering Namsai, Mahadevpur, and Chowkham police station areas bordering Assam, have been declared “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of the AFSPA, 1958.
The order follows a review of the prevailing law-and-order situation and will remain in force until March 31, 2026, unless withdrawn earlier. AFSPA empowers the armed forces to carry out operations and arrests without a warrant in disturbed areas while providing legal protection for actions taken in good faith.
These districts have witnessed repeated extensions of AFSPA over the years due to ongoing insurgency concerns and their strategic location near Assam.
