AFSPA extended in Assam for 6 more months
India Today
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been extended in Assam for six months. The act empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior warrant.
The Assam government on Tuesday said it has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in the entire state for six more months with effect from February 28.
The act empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior warrant. It also gives a certain level of immunity to the security forces in case of an operation going wrong.
"After reviewing the law and order situation in Assam in the past six months, the state government has declared the entire State of Assam as 'Disturbed Area' up to 6 (six) months with effect from 28/02/2022, unless withdrawn earlier," an official release said on Tuesday.
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The Assam government had last extended the "Disturbed Area" status of the state for another six months with effect from August 28 last year, thereby continuing the application of the AFSPA.
The AFSPA was imposed in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months since then after a review by the state government.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on January 1 that the Army was virtually withdrawn from Assam, except for five-six districts and when AFSPA would come up for renewal, the state government would take "some pragmatic decision".
