The Assam Government has decided not to extend the Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (Act No. 28 of 1958) beyond 31st March 2025 in Dibrugarh district.
In a notification today, Assam Government said that in light of the improvements of law and order situation, the “Disturbed Area” status under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, need not be extended in Dibrugarh district.
However, the Government of Assam recommended that the “Disturbed Area” status under AFSPA be continued for an additional six months in the three districts of Tinsukia, Charaideo and Sivasagar.
According to an order issued by Home and Political Department Secretary Debaprasad Misra on Sunday, the decision follows a review of the security situation and reports from various agencies. The four districts had been under AFSPA since October 8, 2023, after the law was lifted from the rest of the state.
The order stated that Assam’s overall security situation has improved due to sustained counter-insurgency operations by security forces. However, the presence of ULFA (I), the only active militant group in the state, remains a concern, with sporadic incidents of improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and kidnappings for ransom.