No decision on withdrawal of AFSPA, says Centre

NEW DELHI, Aug 10 – Clarifying that a final decision is yet to be taken, the Centre has finally admitted that Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee has recommended repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. In a Lok Sabha report, Minister of State Home Affairs, Mullappally Ramachandran said that Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee in its report submitted on June 6, 2005 recommended repeal of the Act and suggested amending the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 by inserting a new chapter VI-A in respect of North Eastern States to provide for provisions contained in AFSPA. “No final decision has been taken on these recommendations,” the Minister said. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is in force in the North-Eastern region of the country. The Act is enforced in the States of Assam and Nagaland, Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, besides 20 km wide belt bordering Assam in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and the entire State of Manipur excluding Imphal Municipal Area; and parts of Tripura, as notified by the State Government. The Union Government has received representations from various social organisations and public representatives to withdraw the Act.