Thu Mar 20 16:40:09 UTC 2025: ## Army Seeks Expanded AFSPA in Manipur Valley
**New Delhi, March 20, 2025** – The Indian Army has requested the expansion of the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act (AFSPA) to cover additional police station limits in Manipur’s valley region, according to a senior government official. This request was made during a Wednesday review meeting chaired by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The proposal seeks to bring 12 police station limits under the AFSPA’s purview to improve operational efficiency. The Army suggests a phased re-imposition, but the final decision rests with the Ministry. The AFSPA was partially re-imposed in six police stations across five districts in November 2024 following the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.
The review meeting also addressed the AFSPA’s scope in Assam, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. The “disturbed area” notifications for these states, which are renewed every six months, expire on March 31st. One Assam district may be de-notified, the official indicated. Currently, the Ministry issues these notifications for Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, while Manipur and Assam handle their own.
The AFSPA, enacted in 1958, grants extensive powers to the Army and Central Armed Police Forces in designated “disturbed areas,” including the authority to use lethal force, conduct warrantless searches and arrests, and provides immunity from prosecution without central government sanction. The Act has been in effect in Manipur since 1981. The imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13th further highlights the ongoing security concerns in the state.
First Piper 