The controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act came under the scanner of Meghalaya Governor R S Mooshahary and additional director of Intelligence Bureau with both maintaining that it was time to revisit the enforcement of the Act in Manipur.

"The prolonged use of the Act has made it ineffective. There have been abuses of the Act and it will continue. If it is removed, I think the situation would not worsen, in fact it will improve," Mooshahary told a conference of northeastern states' police chiefs in Shillong.

Mooshahary, former chief of NSG and BSF, said it is human nature to "transgress the bounds of law".

It is time to reconsider the Act. Once it is removed, the civil society will be more responsible. There is always a scope of reintroducing it, if one thinks that it is needed, he said.

IB additional director R N Ravi said there is every reason to subscribe to the opinion (of the Governor).