Union Minister Kiren Rijiju today said, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, AFSPA, may be withdrawn from areas where security situation improves. Talking to News Agency PTI, Mr Rijiju said, since the security scenario in the Northeast has improved in the last four years, AFSPA has been removed from many areas and government is hopeful that with further improvement, it may be lifted from the remaining few areas in the near future.

He said, the ongoing Naga peace talks between the NSCN-IM and the government's interlocutor are being followed up with utmost sincerity and the outcome of the dialogue would be positive. He, however, refused to give any time-frame for signing the peace pact.

The AFSPA has been completely withdrawn from Meghalaya but is in force in Nagaland, Assam and three districts in Arunachal Pradesh.The AFSPA gives special powers to security forces operating in conflict zones in the north east to arrest anyone anywhere without prior notice.