The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been extended for six months in parts of Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh due to the prevailing law and order situation.
The AFSPA, often criticised as a draconian law, gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary.
Over 83 per cent of the more than 13 lakh electorate cast their vote on Monday in the single-day Nagaland state election which passed off by and large peacefully, Chief Electoral Officer V Shashank Shekhar said.
According to two separate notifications, the decisions have been taken after review of the law-and-order situation in both the states.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, was completely withdrawn in Meghalaya in 2018, Tripura in 2015 and Mizoram in the 1980s.
Polling for assembly polls is underway in Meghalaya and Nagaland, northeastern states the Bharatiya Janata Party rules in alliance with regional powers.
The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party are contesting the polls on a 40:20 seat-sharing basis.
The 87-year-old chairman of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland- Isak-Muivah was undergoing treatment for almost a year at a private hospital in South Delhi where he breathed his last on Tuesday afternoon, Nagaland government spokesperson Kuolie Mere said.
The 16-year old ceasefire agreement between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland - IM is on the brink of a complete breakdown.
According to a statement by the Eastern Command, a column of the Indian Army operating along Indo-Myanmar border was fired upon by unidentified insurgents of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang about 4.45 am.
Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said the violence in Akuluto constituency in Zunheboto district left one dead and two injured.
This classification of districts is to be followed by states and union terrotories till a week post May 3, when the second phase of lockdown will end, for containment operations.
'This was a total and complete failure of the State. The rule of law was usurped. It is also the failure of Naga society. The state must be held accountable but simultaneously Naga society must engage and ask where we are going?'
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