GUWAHATI, March 28: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Thursday that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been revoked from Dibrugarh district. With this, only three districts—Tinsukia, Sivasagar, and Charaideo—remain under the jurisdiction of AFSPA.
The decision to lift the law in Dibrugarh followed a request made by the state government to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the revocation of the district’s “disturbed area” status. A key factor in the request was the state’s plan to develop Dibrugarh as the second capital of Assam. Sarma confirmed that the Centre has issued a notification to this effect, further indicating the state’s progress in reducing the application of AFSPA.
The AFSPA had initially been imposed in Assam on November 27-28, 1990, after violence from the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). Since then, the law had been renewed every six months based on the state government’s recommendations. However, under Sarma’s leadership since 2021, there has been a consistent reduction in areas under the law’s purview. Sarma expressed optimism that AFSPA would soon be lifted from the remaining three districts as well.
