India, Sept. 26 -- The Union Government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, in specified Areas of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months from October 1, 2026. Gazette notifications issued on Friday said the law will remain in force unless withdrawn earlier.

The notifications stated that the decisions followed a further review of the law-and-order situation in the three States. The orders cite Section 3 of the Act, which empowers the Union Government to declare any area "disturbed" if it concludes that armed forces must assist the civil administration. Once that declaration is made, security personnel may search premises, arrest without warrant, and use force, including lethal force, if they c...