Afspa withdrawn from Assam's west Karbi Anglong district

The Assam government has withdrawn the applicability of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (Afspa) from West KarbiAnglong district, citing improved law and order situation, and extended it in eight other districts and one sub-division by six months.

Afspa gives immunity to the armed forces. In Assam, these special powers for search and seizure were announced in 1990. In April this year, Afspa was completely removed from 23 districts and partially from one district of the state. It continued in nine districts and one sub-division - Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, KarbiAnglong, West KarbiAnglong, DimaHasao and Lakhipur sub-division of Cachar district.

In a notification issued on Thursday, Niraj Verma, principal secretary, home and political department, said the security situation has "considerably improved in West KarbiAnglong district of the state" and the governor has withdrawn the declaration of "disturbed area" from the district from October 1.


In April, Afspa was withdrawn from seven of 16 districts in Nagaland. In Manipur, it was lifted from six of the 16 districts.