BOOTS STRAPPED

From April 1, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, was removed from several districts across Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.

- KAUSHIK DEKA

This comes in the backdrop of vociferous demands for the contentious law to be lifted after 13 civilians were killed in Nagaland’s Mon district in December 2021 during a botched security operation—and recommendations from a committee formed thereafter. In support of its move, the Centre cited data showing a 74 per cent drop in militancy incidents in these regions in 2014-2021. AFSPA continues in some Northeast districts as also Jammu & Kashmir, where an army captain was court-martialled on April 3 for his involvement in a fake encounter, killing three innocent civilians.

WHEN WAS AFSPA ENACTED?

In May 1958, President Rajendra Prasad promulgated the British-era Armed Forces (Special Powers) ordinance to handle insurgency in Nagaland. Four months later, Parliament passed AFSPA into law.