Sarma said, “We are aiming at withdrawing AFSPA completely from Assam by the end of 2023. We will also rope in ex-military personnel to train our police force.”
As a part of the sequel undertaken to bring about police modernization in Assam, Sarma attended the first ever conference of the commandants at the Police Training Centre in Dergaon.
He said, “In such a situation, Assam Police Battalions would be empowered to replace Central Armed Police Forces other than the number of CPAFs whose presence is mandatory in the state as per law. Henceforth, steps will be taken for posting very good and professional police officers as Commandants.”
AFSPA is now in operation in eight districts of Assam.
In March this year the Assam government had withdrawn the coverage of disturbed area from the Lakhipur sub division under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
In a notification, the state government stated: ” Whereas, the Government of Assam in exercise of powers conferred under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (Act 28 of 1958) had declared the areas covering Eight districts and One Sub division viz. (1) Tinsukia (2) Dibrugarh (3) Charaideo (4) Sivasagar (5) Jorhat (6) Golaghat (7) Karbi Anglong (8) Dima Hasao and (10) Lakhipur Sub Division of Cachar district of the State of Assam as “Disturbed Area” vide notification No. HMA dated 15/10/2022 with effect from 01/10/2022 for a further period of six months. “
It further stated “Whereas, a review of the law and order and security scenario in Assam in the recent past indicates that there is continued requirement for keeping the above-mentioned areas except the Lakhipur Sub division as disturbed areas for six month. Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 and in supersession of earlier Notification vide No. dated 15/10/2022, the Governor of Assam is pleased to declare the areas covering Eight districts v(1) Tinsukia (2) Dibrugarh (3) Charaideo (4) Sivasagar (5) Jorhat (6) Golaghat (7) Karbi Anglong and
(8) Dima Hasao of the State of Assam as “Disturbed Area” for a further period of six months w.e.f.01/04/2023, unless withdrawn earlier.”
AFSPA gives immunity to the armed forces. In Assam, these special powers for search and seizure were announced in 1990. In April last year, Afspa was completely removed from 23 districts and partially from one district of the state. It continued in nine districts and one sub-division–Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, KarbiAnglong, West KarbiAnglong, DimaHasao and Lakhipur sub-division of Cachar district.
Union Home minister Amit Shah said that the areas under the ambit of AFSPA have come down by about 70 per cent in the last 9 years.
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