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What’s AFSPA?
* The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, empowers the governors and administrators of states and Union Territories to declare areas in their states or UTs concerned as ‘disturbed’
* The prime provision of the Act empowers any armed official to, after giving due warning, arrest without warrant or fire upon or use force of any kind, against person(s) acting against law for maintenance of public order
* The Act is currently in force in Manipur (excluding Imphal Municipal Council area), Assam and Nagaland and in several districts of Arunachal Pradesh. It is also in force in the Kashmir valley in Jammu and Kashmir, where it's withdrawal has been a continuing demand of the local populace.
Criticism of AFSPA
* AFSPA has been criticised for promoting human rights violation, and virtually establishing millitary rule in affected states
AFSPA in Tripura
* Tripura was under this Act since 1997, and its application was extended for another six months last November
* Chief Minister Manik Sarkar announced the decision to repeal the Act on May 27, citing declining insurgency as the prime cause
* Announcement came after his meeting with Council of Ministers on Wednesday
* The repeal of the Act comes almost a month after the election to Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, which was won by the CPI(M)-led Left Front
* Several Tribal parties had been demanding its repeal for some time, saying the Act repressed the state’s 33% tribal population
AFSPA in J&K
* In 1990, with growing insurgency, a similar enactment known as the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990, first came into effect. After 25 years, it is yet to be withdrawn.
