Armed forces special powers act (AFSPA)

Abstract

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act was first implemented in Assam and Manipur in 1958. It has since been extended to other parts of the North East and the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Act has always been a topic of much national debate and controversy. It has been condemned by many civilians, media persons, and human rights activists as a tool for violation of human rights, while its necessity has often been emphasized by state governments as well as security forces. It is, therefore, interesting to analyse objectively, the benefits and criticisms of the Act. It is also useful to understand the root cause of discomfort of the local population of “disturbed areas” where this Act has been implemented. In the following report, we have tried to examine the relevance of AFSPA by studying the circumstances under which it was enacted and various significant incidents that have occurred in the presence of the Act. Based on our study, we have recommendations keeping in mind the views of different stakeholders- local population, security forces and civil administration, so that their efforts can be aligned towards a common goal of social, economic and political stability in these regions.