Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday announced that his government would aim to completely withdraw the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, (AFSPA) from the state by the end of 2023.

In a tweet CM Sarma said that the state would also involve ex-servicemen to train our police forces.

“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,”  He tweeted.

He made the announcement at the commandant’s conference held on 22 May. “AFSPA will be withdrawn from the entire state by November. It will facilitate the replacement of CAPFs by Assam Police battalions. However, the presence of CAPFs as required by law will be present, he added.

Last year, the union government, removed the notification of disturbed areas from the entire state of Assam, but, it is still in force in nine districts and a sub-division of another district in the state. Later on, in April, the centre withdrew notification from one more district. Now, AFSPA is limited to only eight districts of Assam.

AFSPA is a special power act that can be imposed on a state or any part thereof by the centre or the governor of a state after it is declared “disturbed” under section 3. 

The Act, which has been called draconian for giving immense powers to the armed forces. This allows them to ‘open fire’ against anyone in violation of the law or carry arms and ammunition, even causing death. It gives them the power to arrest persons without a warrant and to search premises without a warrant on the basis of “reasonable suspicion”.

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