The districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo and Sivasagar will remain “disturbed area” under the AFSPA.
A notification stated that reports from various agencies obtained through the police headquarters have indicated that “due to sustained efforts and proactive counter-insurgency measures of the Security Forces, the overall scenario in the State of Assam has significantly improved during the last few years and particularly during last three years”,However, due to the recent disturbances in the neighbouring country Bangladesh and its potentially inimical effect on internal law and order situation, the Government of Assam recommends that the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 may be retained for another 6 (six) months,” it added.
The proposal was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which after due consideration decided to maintain the “status quo” regarding disturbed areas in the state for a further period of six months from October 1, the notification said.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier said that Assam government had recommended withdrawal of AFSPA from the remaining eight districts of the state. “ The Government of India withdrew it from the four districts, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao with effect from October 1″.He said now AFSPA is in four districts of Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar and Charaideo, “In next six months the government of India will do further assessment and this will lead to complete withdrawal of the army”.The Assam cabinet in a meeting on September 8 last year had made a recommendation to the Central Government to withdraw Disturbed Areas Act and AFSPA from the State.
It may be noted that the ‘Disturbed Area’ notification was in force since 1990 in the whole of Assam. On April 1, 2022, the AFSPA was removed from the entire State of Assam except for nine districts, including one subdivision of another district. From April 1, the districts under the AFSPA in Assam were further reduced to eight as the Act was withdrawn from the Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar district.
The law gives unbridled power to the Armed Forces and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed in “Disturbed Areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of the law; arrest and search any premises without a warrant; and protection from prosecution and legal suits without the Central Government’s sanction.
