What is AFSPA? How long has it been in force in Northeastern states?

Chennai: The AFSPA has been in force for decades in the three Northeastern states to assist the armed forces operating there to tackle insurgency.

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the security forces if they shoot someone dead.

There have been protests and demands for the complete withdrawal of the law from the Northeast as well as Jammu and Kashmir for its alleged "draconian" provisions.

Origin:

The Act was promulgated by the British colonial government on 15 August 1942 to suppress the Quit India Movement.

Later, four ordinances were invoked by the Indian government to deal with the internal security in 1947 which emerged due to the Partition of India.

According to AFSPA, in an area that is proclaimed as "disturbed", an officer of the armed forces has powers to fire upon anyone who disturbs law and order.

Anyone who has committed cognizable offence or is reasonably suspected of having done so can be arrested without a warrant.

In 2018, the Supreme Court rejected the plea of over 300 army personnel challenging the lodging of FIRs against soldiers involved in operations in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir, where AFSPA is in force, though the Centre contended that it will have a "demoralising effect" on soldiers who are fighting terrorism