AFSPA Extended in Four Assam Districts; 'Disturbed Area' Tag Withdrawn in Four Others

• 03 Oct 2023

The Assam Police announced on October 1 that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been extended for an additional six months in four districts of the state while withdrawing the 'disturbed area' tag from four other districts.

Key Points

• AFSPA Continuation: Assam Police has extended the enforcement of AFSPA for six more months in four districts.
• Designated Districts: The districts where AFSPA will remain in effect are Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, and Charaideo.
• Tag Removal: The 'disturbed area' tag, which allows for the enforcement of AFSPA, has been withdrawn from four districts.
• Affected Districts: Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao will no longer have AFSPA in effect, effective from October 1.
• Previous Extension: The Assam government had previously extended the 'disturbed area' notification under AFSPA for another six months, starting from April 1, in these eight districts.
• Empowering Security Forces: AFSPA grants security forces the authority to conduct operations and make arrests without prior warrants.
• Immunity Provisions: It also provides immunity from arrest and prosecution to security forces in cases where they use lethal force.