The Assam Government has moved the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to seek complete withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958, from Assam, now in force in eight districts of the state. Recently, the state cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, took the decision that AFSPA should be withdrawn completely from the state

On the basis of this decision, the state Home & Political Department has communicated through a letter to the MHA about the Assam government’s decision to completely withdraw the Act, enclosing the cabinet decision with the letter and seeking the latter’s approval on the matter

It is necessary to mention here that AFSPA was imposed in Assam for the first time on November 28, 1990. Since then, it has been in force in the state, with the proviso that it is extended for a further period every six months after a review of the law-and-order situation by the state government.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, is an act of the Indian Parliament that grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”

According to the Disturbed Areas Act, 1976, once declared ‘disturbed’, the area has to maintain status quo for a minimum of 3 months

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