Source: Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ Notification in ‘The Gazette of India: Extraordinary,’ on March 23, 2026.
9 districts & 21 police station jurisdictions in 5 others declared ‘disturbed area’
Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 25
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the ‘disturbed area’ status under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 in parts of Nagaland for a further six months, with effect from April 1.
According to a notification published in The Gazette of India: Extraordinary on March 23, nine districts and 21 police station jurisdictions across five other districts have been declared ‘disturbed’ following a review of the prevailing law and order situation in the State.
The districts placed entirely under the ‘disturbed area’ category are Dimapur, Niuland, Chümoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren, and Meluri.
Meanwhile, the ‘disturbed area’ tag has been applied partially across five districts, covering 21 police stations (PS). In Kohima district, these include Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha PS. In Mokokchung, Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki ‘C’ PS have been declared ‘disturbed.’
In Zunheboto district, the notified PS are Ghatashi, Pughoboto, Satakha, Suruhuto, Zunheboto and Aghunato, while Bhandari, Champang and Ralan PS are covered in Wokha. In Longleng district, Yanglok PS has been included under AFSPA.
With the latest notification, only three districts in Nagaland—Shamator, Tuensang and Tseminyu, remain entirely outside the ‘disturbed area’ designation, the same status as the previous extension in September 2025.
These areas are “declared as ‘disturbed area’ under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for a period of six months with effect from 01.04.2026, unless withdrawn earlier,” the notification stated.
Extension in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur
In separate notifications, the MHA also extended the ‘disturbed area’ status in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the extension covers Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, along with areas under Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district.
In Manipur, the entire Statem excluding areas under 13 police stations across five districts, has been declared ‘disturbed’ for six months from April 1. These include Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi in Imphal West district; Porompat, Heingang and Irilbung in Imphal East; Thoubal in Thoubal district; Bishnupur and Nambol in Bishnupur district; and Kakching in Kakching district.
Section 3 of AFSPA
Under Section 3 of AFSPA, 1958, if any part or whole of a State or Union Territory is deemed to be in a “disturbed or dangerous condition” requiring the use of armed forces in aid of civil power, the Governor, Administrator, or the Central Government may declare it a ‘disturbed area’ through a notification in the Official Gazette.
Judicial interventions have clarified that such a declaration cannot be indefinite and must be reviewed periodically before the expiry of six months, as held in Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights vs Union of India (AIR 1998 SC 431).
Further, while the Governor is empowered to declare any area as ‘disturbed,’ the decision should not be arbitrary due to the absence of legislative guidelines, as observed in Inderjit Barua vs State of Assam.
Accordingly, AFSPA notifications are reviewed and extended or withdrawn periodically.
The Act empowers security forces to conduct searches, make arrests without warrants, and use force under specified conditions. It also provides legal immunity for actions taken in the line of duty without prior sanction from the Central Government, and has often been flagged as a ‘draconian’ law from various quarters.
