Whereas the Central Government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section

## Report on Amendment to Declaration of Disturbed Areas under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, declaring certain areas in Arunachal Pradesh as "disturbed areas" under Section 3 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958. This notification, dated April 1, 2021, extends the "disturbed area" status, with some modifications, to specific districts and police station jurisdictions within Arunachal Pradesh until September 30, 2021. The report focuses on understanding the amendment's impact on affected areas and stakeholders. **2. Introduction:** The purpose of this report is to provide an informative analysis of the Ministry of Home Affairs notification declaring specific areas in Arunachal Pradesh as "disturbed areas" under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, effective from April 1, 2021, to September 30, 2021. The analysis is based solely on the information provided in the given policy text. **3. Policy Overview:** * **Amendment:** This notification amends the previous declaration of "disturbed areas" vide notification S.O.3449(E) dated 01.10.2020. * **Core Objective(s):** Based on the text, the objective is to maintain law and order in areas deemed to be disturbed through the application of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The re-evaluation suggests a continuous assessment of the security situation. **4. Background and Rationale:** The amendment indicates that the government has undertaken a further review of the law and order situation in the previously declared "disturbed areas" of Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh, and the area falling within the jurisdiction of four police stations in districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering State of Assam. The reason for the amendment is to revise the areas under the disturbed area declaration, likely reflecting changes in the security assessment. The extension implies that the security situation in these areas remains a concern, requiring continued special measures. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This notification *amends* the previous declaration (S.O.3449(E) dated 01.10.2020) by: * **Area Under Declaration:** Re-declaring Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh as disturbed areas. Crucially, it *also* re-declares specific police station jurisdictions as disturbed areas. * **Specific Changes to Police Station Jurisdictions:** While the initial declaration covered four police stations bordering Assam, the *amendment text specifically names these police stations*: * Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations in Namsai district. * Roing police station in Lower Dibang Valley district. * Sunpura police station in Lohit district. * **Timeframe:** The declaration is effective from 01.04.2021 up to 30.09.2021 unless withdrawn earlier. * **Effect of Change:** The *key difference* is the increased specificity. The amendment now explicitly names the police stations, providing clarity on the exact geographic areas affected. This likely aims for more targeted application of AFSPA. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The primary target audience includes: * Residents of Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh. * Residents within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur, Roing, and Sunpura police stations. * Security forces operating in these areas. * Local administration and law enforcement agencies in the affected districts. * Businesses and industries operating within the affected areas as security concerns can impact their operations. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Ministry of Home Affairs is the responsible body for issuing the notification. Implementation would involve coordination between the central government, the Arunachal Pradesh state government, local law enforcement, and the armed forces. * **Timelines/Procedures:** The declaration is valid from April 1, 2021, to September 30, 2021. The text doesn't provide specific procedures for implementation, but it implies that existing procedures under the AFSPA will be followed. The phrase "unless withdrawn earlier" suggests a mechanism for ongoing review and potential revocation of the declaration if the security situation improves. * **Amendment Specific Aspects:** The more specific naming of police stations means that implementation efforts must be precisely targeted to those areas. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcomes of this amendment are: * Maintaining law and order in the specified areas through the powers conferred by AFSPA. * Providing security forces with the necessary legal framework to operate effectively in the "disturbed areas." * Reducing instances of violence and unrest in the region, as perceived by the government. * The increased specificity in the police station jurisdictions allows for a more focused application of AFSPA, potentially minimizing its impact on unaffected areas. **9. Conclusion:** The notification analyzed is a crucial amendment related to the declaration of "disturbed areas" under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, in Arunachal Pradesh. The amendment explicitly names the police stations now falling under the disturbed area designation, providing increased clarity compared to the previous notification. While the amendment extends the period of the disturbed area declaration, the specificity of the affected police stations suggests a more targeted approach to maintaining law and order in the region.

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