New Delhi Dec 30 PTI The Centre on Thursday declared the entire Nagaland as a disturbed area for six more months with effect from December 30 under the AFSPA while terming the states condition disturbed and dangerousThe move came days after the Union government constituted a high-level committee to examine the possibility of the withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from NagalandThe AFSPA has been operational in Nagaland for decadesWhereas the Central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of the State of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessaryNow therefore in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 No28 of 1958 the Central Government hereby declares that whole of the State of Nagaland to be disturbed area for a period of six months with effect from December 30 2021 for the purpose of the said Act a home ministry notification saidThe notification was issued by the additional secretary in the Home Ministry Piyush Goyal who has been named the member secretary in the panel to examine the possibility of the withdrawal of the AFSPA The committee is headed by secretary-level officer Vivek JoshiThe high-level committee has been set up apparently to soothe the rising tension in Nagaland over the killing of 14 civiliansProtests for the withdrawal of the AFSPA have been going on in several districts of Nagaland ever since an Army unit killed 14 civilians in the states Mon district earlier this month mistaking them as insurgentsThe AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant It also gives immunity to the forces if they shoot someone dead PTI ACB NSD NSD
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