AFSPA Extended in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for Six Months

The Ministry of Home Affairs on 25 September 2026 extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in parts of the North East for six more months. The whole of Manipur, except areas under 13 police stations, stays a "disturbed area". Nine full districts of Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five more districts are covered. In Arunachal Pradesh, Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts continue under the Act. The extension runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027 under Section 3 of the Act. It is a standing question area for polity, internal security and federalism.

What Happened

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued fresh notifications on 25 September 2026 declaring specified parts of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh as "disturbed areas". The declarations were made under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. They take effect from 1 October 2026 and stay in force for six months, unless withdrawn earlier. The step followed a review of the law and order situation in the three states.

When & Where

The notifications were issued on 25 September 2026 and apply from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The area covered lies entirely in the North Eastern region. Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh all share long international borders with Myanmar. Arunachal Pradesh also shares a border with China and Bhutan, which makes this a sensitive frontier belt.

Who Is Involved

Ministry of Home Affairs — the Union ministry that issues the disturbed area notification.
Government of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh — the state governments whose territory is covered.
Armed forces of the Union, including the Army and central armed police forces deployed in aid of civil power.
State police forces, whose jurisdictions define the excluded and included pockets.

How It Works

Section 3 of the Act allows the Governor of a state or the Central Government to declare an area "disturbed". The declaration is the legal trigger; without it the Act's special powers do not apply.
The declaration must be published as a notification in the Official Gazette, so the exact territory covered is on record.
Once an area is declared disturbed, officers of the armed forces get powers listed in the Act, including arrest without warrant and search without warrant.
The armed forces may open fire after giving due warning if a person acts against an order in force in the disturbed area. This is the most debated power in the Act.
Any person arrested must be handed over to the nearest police station with the least possible delay, along with a report of the circumstances.
Prosecution of personnel acting under the Act needs prior sanction of the Central Government, which is the immunity clause that draws most criticism.

Why It Matters

Constitutional angle: public order and police are state subjects, while deployment of Union armed forces in aid of civil power is a Union subject. AFSPA sits exactly at that seam and is a live federalism question.
Internal security angle: the Act is the legal base for counter-insurgency operations in the North East. Its extension signals that the security assessment has not changed enough for withdrawal.
Rights angle: the immunity provision and the power to use force have long been challenged as excessive, and courts have repeatedly examined how far these powers stretch.
Governance angle: the gradual shrinking of covered areas is presented as a measure of improving normalcy, so the map of excluded police stations is itself a policy indicator.

Historical Background

The Act was enacted in 1958 to deal with disturbances in the Naga Hills. It began life as the Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act and was later renamed as new states were carved out of Assam. A separate Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act was enacted in 1990 for that region. The Supreme Court examined the Act in Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India in 1997 and upheld its constitutional validity, while laying down safeguards on how the powers must be used. A committee headed by Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy examined the Act and in 2005 recommended its repeal, a recommendation the Union Government did not accept. Tripura withdrew the Act from its territory in 2015. The current extension continues this long pattern of periodic six-month renewals with a slowly shrinking map.

Previous Related Events

In November 2024 the Centre brought fresh police station areas of Manipur back under the Act after violence in the state.
In March 2025 the Centre extended the Act in parts of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for six months.
In September 2025 the Centre again extended the Act in parts of Arunachal Pradesh for six months, keeping the half-yearly cycle intact.

Static GK Connection

Article 355 of the Constitution places a duty on the Union to protect every state against external aggression and internal disturbance. It is the constitutional basis often cited for central action in such situations.
Seventh Schedule distribution: public order and police are entries in the State List, while deployment of any armed force of the Union in a state in aid of civil power is an entry in the Union List.
Disturbed area is a statutory category, not a constitutional one. It is created by notification and is different from President's Rule or a national emergency.
Aid of civil power means the armed forces assist, but do not replace, the civil administration and the police.

India & World Comparison

India is not alone in keeping special security statutes for insurgency-hit regions; several states worldwide use emergency or special powers laws with time limits and judicial review. What distinguishes the Indian framework is the requirement of a periodic, area-specific notification that must be renewed, rather than an open-ended declaration. The six-month renewal cycle forces a fresh security review twice a year. International human rights bodies have repeatedly asked India to review the immunity clause, while the Indian position has been that the Act is needed while armed insurgency persists. A verified current global ranking on this subject does not exist, so the comparison is best made qualitatively.

Future Impact

The present notification lapses on 31 March 2027, when a fresh review and a fresh decision will be required.
Further shrinking of the covered map in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh is the stated direction of policy, tied to the progress of peace talks.
Any future settlement of the long-running Naga political talks would directly affect the need for the Act in Nagaland.
Continued normalisation in Manipur could add more police station areas to the excluded list at the next review.

🔑 Key Points for Revision

AFSPA extended in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh on 25 September 2026.
Extension period is six months, from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Declaration made under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
The Act is Act No. 28 of 1958.
Whole of Manipur covered except areas under 13 police stations.
Those 13 police stations lie in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching.
Nine Nagaland districts covered fully: Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren, Meluri.
Twenty-one police station areas in five more Nagaland districts also covered.
Arunachal Pradesh: Tirap, Changlang, Longding and parts of Namsai district covered.
The Act was enacted in 1958 for the Naga Hills area of then Assam.
A separate Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act was enacted in 1990.
Supreme Court upheld the Act in Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India, 1997.
Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy Committee recommended repeal of the Act in 2005.
Tripura withdrew the Act from its territory in 2015.
Public order and police are State List subjects; Union armed forces in aid of civil power is a Union List subject.

🧠 Concept Link (Static GK Deep Dive)

Core Concept: Disturbed Area Declaration under AFSPA

Definition: a disturbed area is a territory notified by the Centre or the Governor where the armed forces may use special powers to aid the civil administration.
Constitutional / Legal Basis: Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 creates the power to declare; Article 355 supplies the Union's protective duty.
Scientific / Economic Principle: not applicable to this concept; the underlying logic is legal and administrative, not scientific.
Link to this event: the 25 September 2026 notifications are exactly such Section 3 declarations, renewed for a further six months.
Origin & History: the framework dates to 1958, when the law was passed to handle unrest in the Naga Hills.
Key milestone 1: the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act was enacted in 1990 as a parallel statute.
Key milestone 2: the Supreme Court upheld the 1958 Act in 1997 while prescribing operational safeguards.
Related Acts / Schemes / Treaties: the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967; the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990; the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.
Nodal Ministry / Body: the Ministry of Home Affairs handles the notification; the Ministry of Defence controls the forces deployed.
India-specific relevance: the Act is the legal backbone of counter-insurgency in the North East and shapes centre-state relations there.
Global comparison: other democracies use time-limited emergency statutes for similar purposes; India's distinctive feature is the area-wise, renewable notification.
Data point: the current declaration covers nine full districts of Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five more, as notified for the period beginning 1 October 2026.
Common exam angle: examiners ask which section allows the declaration, which authority may declare, and which body upheld the Act.
Easy memory hook: "Section 3 declares, six months lasts, Gazette records it."

❓ Practice MCQs

Q1. Under which section of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is an area declared a "disturbed area"? [Easy]

A) Section 2

B) Section 3

C) Section 4

D) Section 6

Answer: B

Explanation: Section 3 of the Act empowers the declaration of an area as a disturbed area by notification.

Q2. For what period was AFSPA extended in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh in the notification issued on 25 September 2026? [Easy]

A) Three months

B) Six months

C) One year

D) Two years

Answer: B

Explanation: The extension runs for six months, from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.

Q3. How many districts of Nagaland were declared disturbed areas in full under the 2026 notification? [Moderate]

A) Seven

B) Eight

C) Nine

D) Eleven

Answer: C

Explanation: Nine districts, including Dimapur, Mon, Phek and Peren, were covered fully.

Q4. In Manipur, the 2026 notification excluded areas under how many police stations? [Moderate]

A) 11

B) 13

C) 19

D) 21

Answer: B

Explanation: Areas under 13 police stations spread over five districts were kept outside the disturbed area declaration.

Q5. Which three districts of Arunachal Pradesh remain fully covered by AFSPA under the 2026 notification? [Moderate]

A) Tawang, Anjaw and Lohit

B) Tirap, Changlang and Longding

C) Papum Pare, Namsai and Siang

D) West Kameng, Dibang Valley and Kurung Kumey

Answer: B

Explanation: Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts continue to be covered, along with parts of Namsai district.

Q6. Which of the following statements about the constitutional position of AFSPA is correct? [Tricky]

A) Public order is a Union List subject, which is why the Centre can notify disturbed areas

B) Police is a Concurrent List subject shared by the Centre and the states

C) Public order and police are State List subjects, while deployment of Union armed forces in aid of civil power is a Union List subject

D) Both public order and deployment of Union armed forces are State List subjects

Answer: C

Explanation: This split between the two lists is what makes AFSPA a recurring centre-state question.

Q7. In which case did the Supreme Court uphold the constitutional validity of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958? [Tricky]

A) Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India, 1997

B) Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, 1973

C) S. R. Bommai v. Union of India, 1994

D) Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, 1978

Answer: A

Explanation: The 1997 judgment upheld the Act while laying down safeguards on the exercise of its powers.

Q8. Which committee recommended the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958? [Tricky]

A) The Sarkaria Commission

B) The Punchhi Commission

C) The committee headed by Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy

D) The Malimath Committee

Answer: C

Explanation: The Jeevan Reddy Committee recommended repeal in 2005, but the recommendation was not accepted.

📜 Previous Year Question Style (PYQ)

PYQ 1:

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 was originally enacted to deal with disturbances in which region?

A) The Naga Hills area of then Assam

B) The Rann of Kutch

C) The Telangana region of then Hyderabad State

D) The Chittagong Hill Tracts

Answer: A

Explanation: The Act was passed in 1958 to handle unrest in the Naga Hills, then part of Assam.

PYQ 2:

Consider the following statements:

A disturbed area declaration under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is made under Section 3 of that Act.
The declaration made on 25 September 2026 for Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh is valid for six months from 1 October 2026.
The Supreme Court struck down the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 as unconstitutional in 1997.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 1 and 2 only

C) 2 and 3 only

D) All of the above

Answer: B

Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong because the Supreme Court upheld the Act in 1997 instead of striking it down.

PYQ 3:

Assertion (A): A disturbed area declaration under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 has to be renewed from time to time.

Reason (R): The Act's declarations are issued for a fixed period and lapse unless a fresh notification is issued.

A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

C) A is true but R is false

D) A is false but R is true

Answer: A

Explanation: The 25 September 2026 notification is valid only up to 31 March 2027, which is why renewal is required.

✍️ Mains Answer Pointers

Question 1 (150 words): Examine the federal issues raised by the periodic extension of AFSPA in the North Eastern states.

The extension of AFSPA notified on 25 September 2026 for six months from 1 October 2026 shows how a single statute can sit across the federal divide. Public order and police belong to the State List, yet the deployment of Union armed forces in aid of civil power belongs to the Union List, and the disturbed area declaration is issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The result is that a Union notification shapes policing conditions inside a state, which state governments have at times resisted. The Union defends this through its protective duty under Article 355 and through the practical reality that insurgency spills across state and international borders.

A workable balance lies in joint review. If security assessments before each six-month renewal are prepared with full state participation, and the shrinking of covered areas is made public, the federal friction reduces without weakening operational capacity.

Question 2 (250 words): "AFSPA has survived judicial scrutiny but not public acceptance." Analyse this statement in the light of the Act's history and its continuing use in the North East.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was enacted in 1958 for the Naga Hills and has outlived the circumstances of its birth. It was extended as new states were formed, and a parallel statute was enacted for Jammu and Kashmir in 1990. Judicially, the Act stands on firm ground: in Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India in 1997 the Supreme Court upheld its validity while prescribing safeguards on the use of force and on the handing over of arrested persons.

Public acceptance has followed a different path. The Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy Committee recommended repeal in 2005, and the recommendation was not accepted. Civil society campaigns in Manipur and Nagaland have centred on the requirement of central sanction before prosecuting personnel, arguing that it weakens accountability.

The government's answer has been gradual withdrawal rather than repeal. Tripura removed the Act in 2015, and the covered map in the North East has been shrinking. The notification of 25 September 2026 illustrates the point: the whole of Manipur is covered, but areas under 13 police stations in five districts are left out, and in Nagaland nine districts are covered in full while five others are covered only in 21 police station areas.

The way forward is to make each renewal evidence-based and transparent. Publishing the security grounds for retaining each pocket, coupled with a time-bound roadmap tied to the progress of peace talks, would let the Act shrink further without leaving a security vacuum.

⚠️ Examiner Trap

Trap 1: Students confuse the declaration of a disturbed area with the imposition of President's Rule. The correct fact is that a disturbed area declaration is a statutory notification under Section 3 of the 1958 Act and has nothing to do with Article 356.
Trap 2: A common wrong assumption is that the Supreme Court struck down AFSPA. The reality is that the Court upheld the Act in Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India in 1997 while laying down safeguards.
Trap 3: Many students miss that the 2026 notification does not cover all of Nagaland. Always remember that nine districts are covered fully while five others are covered only in 21 police station areas.

AFSPA Extended in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for Six Months

What Happened

When & Where

Who Is Involved

Ministry of Home Affairs — the Union ministry that issues the disturbed area notification.
Government of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh — the state governments whose territory is covered.
Armed forces of the Union, including the Army and central armed police forces deployed in aid of civil power.
State police forces, whose jurisdictions define the excluded and included pockets.

How It Works

Section 3 of the Act allows the Governor of a state or the Central Government to declare an area "disturbed". The declaration is the legal trigger; without it the Act's special powers do not apply.
The declaration must be published as a notification in the Official Gazette, so the exact territory covered is on record.
Once an area is declared disturbed, officers of the armed forces get powers listed in the Act, including arrest without warrant and search without warrant.
The armed forces may open fire after giving due warning if a person acts against an order in force in the disturbed area. This is the most debated power in the Act.
Any person arrested must be handed over to the nearest police station with the least possible delay, along with a report of the circumstances.
Prosecution of personnel acting under the Act needs prior sanction of the Central Government, which is the immunity clause that draws most criticism.

Why It Matters

Constitutional angle: public order and police are state subjects, while deployment of Union armed forces in aid of civil power is a Union subject. AFSPA sits exactly at that seam and is a live federalism question.
Internal security angle: the Act is the legal base for counter-insurgency operations in the North East. Its extension signals that the security assessment has not changed enough for withdrawal.
Rights angle: the immunity provision and the power to use force have long been challenged as excessive, and courts have repeatedly examined how far these powers stretch.
Governance angle: the gradual shrinking of covered areas is presented as a measure of improving normalcy, so the map of excluded police stations is itself a policy indicator.

Historical Background

Previous Related Events

In November 2024 the Centre brought fresh police station areas of Manipur back under the Act after violence in the state.
In March 2025 the Centre extended the Act in parts of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for six months.
In September 2025 the Centre again extended the Act in parts of Arunachal Pradesh for six months, keeping the half-yearly cycle intact.

Static GK Connection

Article 355 of the Constitution places a duty on the Union to protect every state against external aggression and internal disturbance. It is the constitutional basis often cited for central action in such situations.
Seventh Schedule distribution: public order and police are entries in the State List, while deployment of any armed force of the Union in a state in aid of civil power is an entry in the Union List.
Disturbed area is a statutory category, not a constitutional one. It is created by notification and is different from President's Rule or a national emergency.
Aid of civil power means the armed forces assist, but do not replace, the civil administration and the police.

India & World Comparison

Future Impact

The present notification lapses on 31 March 2027, when a fresh review and a fresh decision will be required.
Further shrinking of the covered map in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh is the stated direction of policy, tied to the progress of peace talks.
Any future settlement of the long-running Naga political talks would directly affect the need for the Act in Nagaland.
Continued normalisation in Manipur could add more police station areas to the excluded list at the next review.

🔑 Key Points for Revision

AFSPA extended in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh on 25 September 2026.
Extension period is six months, from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Declaration made under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
The Act is Act No. 28 of 1958.
Whole of Manipur covered except areas under 13 police stations.
Those 13 police stations lie in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching.
Nine Nagaland districts covered fully: Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren, Meluri.
Twenty-one police station areas in five more Nagaland districts also covered.
Arunachal Pradesh: Tirap, Changlang, Longding and parts of Namsai district covered.
The Act was enacted in 1958 for the Naga Hills area of then Assam.
A separate Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act was enacted in 1990.
Supreme Court upheld the Act in Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India, 1997.
Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy Committee recommended repeal of the Act in 2005.
Tripura withdrew the Act from its territory in 2015.
Public order and police are State List subjects; Union armed forces in aid of civil power is a Union List subject.

🧠 Concept Link (Static GK Deep Dive)

Core Concept: Disturbed Area Declaration under AFSPA

Definition: a disturbed area is a territory notified by the Centre or the Governor where the armed forces may use special powers to aid the civil administration.
Constitutional / Legal Basis: Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 creates the power to declare; Article 355 supplies the Union's protective duty.
Scientific / Economic Principle: not applicable to this concept; the underlying logic is legal and administrative, not scientific.
Link to this event: the 25 September 2026 notifications are exactly such Section 3 declarations, renewed for a further six months.
Origin & History: the framework dates to 1958, when the law was passed to handle unrest in the Naga Hills.
Key milestone 1: the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act was enacted in 1990 as a parallel statute.
Key milestone 2: the Supreme Court upheld the 1958 Act in 1997 while prescribing operational safeguards.
Related Acts / Schemes / Treaties: the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967; the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990; the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.
Nodal Ministry / Body: the Ministry of Home Affairs handles the notification; the Ministry of Defence controls the forces deployed.
India-specific relevance: the Act is the legal backbone of counter-insurgency in the North East and shapes centre-state relations there.
Global comparison: other democracies use time-limited emergency statutes for similar purposes; India's distinctive feature is the area-wise, renewable notification.
Data point: the current declaration covers nine full districts of Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five more, as notified for the period beginning 1 October 2026.
Common exam angle: examiners ask which section allows the declaration, which authority may declare, and which body upheld the Act.
Easy memory hook: "Section 3 declares, six months lasts, Gazette records it."

❓ Practice MCQs

Q1. Under which section of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is an area declared a "disturbed area"? [Easy]

A) Section 2

B) Section 3

C) Section 4

D) Section 6

Answer: B

Explanation: Section 3 of the Act empowers the declaration of an area as a disturbed area by notification.

Q2. For what period was AFSPA extended in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh in the notification issued on 25 September 2026? [Easy]

A) Three months

B) Six months

C) One year

D) Two years

Answer: B

Explanation: The extension runs for six months, from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.

Q3. How many districts of Nagaland were declared disturbed areas in full under the 2026 notification? [Moderate]

A) Seven

B) Eight

C) Nine

D) Eleven

Answer: C

Explanation: Nine districts, including Dimapur, Mon, Phek and Peren, were covered fully.

Q4. In Manipur, the 2026 notification excluded areas under how many police stations? [Moderate]

A) 11

B) 13

C) 19

D) 21

Answer: B

Explanation: Areas under 13 police stations spread over five districts were kept outside the disturbed area declaration.

Q5. Which three districts of Arunachal Pradesh remain fully covered by AFSPA under the 2026 notification? [Moderate]

A) Tawang, Anjaw and Lohit

B) Tirap, Changlang and Longding

C) Papum Pare, Namsai and Siang

D) West Kameng, Dibang Valley and Kurung Kumey

Answer: B

Explanation: Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts continue to be covered, along with parts of Namsai district.

Q6. Which of the following statements about the constitutional position of AFSPA is correct? [Tricky]

A) Public order is a Union List subject, which is why the Centre can notify disturbed areas

B) Police is a Concurrent List subject shared by the Centre and the states

C) Public order and police are State List subjects, while deployment of Union armed forces in aid of civil power is a Union List subject

D) Both public order and deployment of Union armed forces are State List subjects

Answer: C

Explanation: This split between the two lists is what makes AFSPA a recurring centre-state question.

Q7. In which case did the Supreme Court uphold the constitutional validity of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958? [Tricky]

A) Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India, 1997

B) Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, 1973

C) S. R. Bommai v. Union of India, 1994

D) Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, 1978

Answer: A

Explanation: The 1997 judgment upheld the Act while laying down safeguards on the exercise of its powers.

Q8. Which committee recommended the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958? [Tricky]

A) The Sarkaria Commission

B) The Punchhi Commission

C) The committee headed by Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy

D) The Malimath Committee

Answer: C

Explanation: The Jeevan Reddy Committee recommended repeal in 2005, but the recommendation was not accepted.

📜 Previous Year Question Style (PYQ)

PYQ 1:

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 was originally enacted to deal with disturbances in which region?

A) The Naga Hills area of then Assam

B) The Rann of Kutch

C) The Telangana region of then Hyderabad State

D) The Chittagong Hill Tracts

Answer: A

Explanation: The Act was passed in 1958 to handle unrest in the Naga Hills, then part of Assam.

PYQ 2:

Consider the following statements:

A disturbed area declaration under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is made under Section 3 of that Act.
The declaration made on 25 September 2026 for Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh is valid for six months from 1 October 2026.
The Supreme Court struck down the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 as unconstitutional in 1997.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 1 and 2 only

C) 2 and 3 only

D) All of the above

Answer: B

Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong because the Supreme Court upheld the Act in 1997 instead of striking it down.

PYQ 3:

Assertion (A): A disturbed area declaration under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 has to be renewed from time to time.

Reason (R): The Act's declarations are issued for a fixed period and lapse unless a fresh notification is issued.

A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

C) A is true but R is false

D) A is false but R is true

Answer: A

Explanation: The 25 September 2026 notification is valid only up to 31 March 2027, which is why renewal is required.

✍️ Mains Answer Pointers

Question 1 (150 words): Examine the federal issues raised by the periodic extension of AFSPA in the North Eastern states.

Question 2 (250 words): "AFSPA has survived judicial scrutiny but not public acceptance." Analyse this statement in the light of the Act's history and its continuing use in the North East.

⚠️ Examiner Trap

Trap 1: Students confuse the declaration of a disturbed area with the imposition of President's Rule. The correct fact is that a disturbed area declaration is a statutory notification under Section 3 of the 1958 Act and has nothing to do with Article 356.
Trap 2: A common wrong assumption is that the Supreme Court struck down AFSPA. The reality is that the Court upheld the Act in Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India in 1997 while laying down safeguards.
Trap 3: Many students miss that the 2026 notification does not cover all of Nagaland. Always remember that nine districts are covered fully while five others are covered only in 21 police station areas.