The Manipur government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, in the strife-hit state for another six months from Tuesday barring areas under the jurisdiction of 19 police stations located in Imphal Valley.

The valley police stations exempted from the Afspa, which gives security forces unbridled powers to search, arrest and shoot in areas declared as disturbed under the Act, include Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai, Irilbung and Jiribam.

The extension was notified by the state home department on September 26 but the notification was made public on Monday.

The notification said the “governor of Manipur is of the opinion that the violent activities of various extremist/insurgent groups warrant the use of armed forces in
aid of civil administration in the entire state of Manipur except the areas falling
under the jurisdiction of the 19 police stations...”

“Keeping in view... the overall law and order situation in the State and the capability of the State machineries, the State Government has decided to maintain status quo on the present disturbed area status in the State of Manipur excluding the areas falling under the 19 police stations as mentioned at Para 1 above for a period of 6(six) months w.e.f., 01/10/2024,” the notification said.

Copy of the notification, issued by home commissioner N. Ashok Kumar, was marked to the Raj Bhawan, MHA, CMO, heads of the central security forces operating in the state, state chief secretary, state DGP, all ministers, deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police, among others.

The overall situation in the state remains volatile since the ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zos began on May 3, leaving at least 237 dead and over 60,000 displaced. The law has been applicable in Manipur since 1981.

Kuki-Zo organisations and their elected representatives in the state have been opposing the move to exclude the Meitei-majority valley areas from the AFSPA.

The Act was withdrawn from the Imphal municipal area in 2004.

The AFSPA was excluded from 15 police stations in 2022 followed by four more police stations in 2023.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of Kuki tribes, had in August opposed the state government move to extend the AFSPA only to the hill districts.

The KIM had in August urged the Centre to immediately revoke the central law in the hill districts inhabited mostly by the Kuki-Zo and Naga tribes.

“Alternatively, if the AFSPA is deemed necessary, it should be imposed in the Imphal valley areas, where it is most required due to the history of secessionist demands by Meitei insurgent groups,” a KIM statement said, adding the “ongoing imposition of the AFSPA in the hill districts... is a discriminatory act against the hill tribal population”.

Ten Kuki-Zo MLAs have also urged the Centre to
reimpose the AFSPA in the valley area.