The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which gives the armed forces special powers to search, arrest and use force in areas declared "disturbed", along with legal protection from prosecution without central sanction.
AFSPA traces its roots to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance of 1942, issued by the British to suppress the Quit India Movement. After independence, insurgency by Naga groups led to the Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act of 1958. It was later extended to the other northeastern states as they were formed, and separate laws were made for Punjab and Chandigarh in 1983 (repealed in 1997) and for Jammu and Kashmir in 1990 as militancy grew.
The law has been one of the most debated in India. Supporters see it as essential for armies operating in hostile terrain against insurgents who blend with civilians. Critics, including civil rights groups and many residents of affected areas, link it to alleged extrajudicial killings, torture and impunity. Irom Sharmila of Manipur fasted for sixteen years, from 2000 to 2016, demanding its repeal. The Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005) recommended repealing AFSPA and adding safeguards into the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Second Administrative Reforms Commission supported this view, but the recommendations were not adopted.
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