Assam: AFSPA now applicable in only 8 districts of the state, know the districts

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the government of India has decided to decrease the jurisdiction of “disturbed areas” declared under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Assam.

With this, the Government of Assam in the exercise of powers conferred under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (Act 28 of 1958) had declared the areas covering 8 (Eight) districts and 1 (One) Subdivision namely- Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Lakhipur Sub Division of Cachar district of the State of Assam as "Disturbed Area" vide notification No. HMA- 19015/9/2019-Political (A)/Pt.(1)/20, dated 15/10/2022 with effect from 01/10/2022 for a further period of 6 (six) months.

A review of the law and order and security scenario in Assam in the recent past indicates that there is a continued requirement for keeping the above-mentioned areas except for the Lakhipur Sub Division of Cachar district as "Disturbed Area" for a period of 6 (six) months w.e.f. April 1, 2023.

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"Therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 and in supersession of earlier Notification vide No. 19015/9/2019-Political (A)/Pt.(1)/20, dated 15/10/2022, the Governor of Assam is pleased to declare the areas covering 8 (Eight) districts viz. (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Dima Hasao of the State of Assam as "Disturbed Area" for a further period of 6 (six) months w.e.f. 01/04/2023, unless withdrawn earlier," the notification from the Principal Secretary to the Govt. of Assam, Home & Political Departments reads.

The Disturbed Areas Notification is in force since 1990 in the whole of Assam. As a result of significant improvement in the security situation due to the untiring efforts of the Modi government, the disturbed areas under AFSPA were removed from the entire state of Assam except for 9 districts and one sub-division of one district from 01.04.2022 and 01.04.2023, it has been reduced to only 8 districts while reducing further in disturbed areas.