The Meghalaya High Court has asked the Centre to consider enforcing Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in militancy-hit Garo Hills region in the state to help the administration restore the rule of law. Recently the Meghalaya state is witnessing a rise in number of militancy incidents in the region especially in Garo Hills including abduction of a Meghalaya Government Officials by Garo National Liberation Army militants. Though in past decade the insurgency was more or less contained in the state, but in last 2 years there has been a rise in the number of violence as several dormant insurgent groups in state started resurfacing.

Did You Know???

• AFSPA empowers armed forces to deal effectively in ‘Disturbed Areas’ declared by both state and Central government.
• Parliament had enacted it in 1958 to provide special legal security to the armed forces for carrying out operations in the troubled areas of 7 sisters states of North east.
• The act was extended to Jammu and Kashmir in 1990 in order to confront the rising insurgency in the area.
• The act provides army officers and jawans legal immunity for their actions undertaken disturbed areas.

Try This…

On May 2015 which state Government decided to withdraw AFSPA from its state?

Who is the present Governor of Meghalaya?