NO AFSPA IN ASSAM FROM SEPT.

In a significant move, the ministry of home affairs has decided not to extend the term of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for Assam beyond August 31.

Pointing out that it will be left to the state government to take a call on extending the AFSPA, security sources told this newspaper that the home ministry is of view that the present situation doesn’t warrant the entire state being declared as a ‘disturbed area’ under the provisions of the Act.

Security sources said that the home ministry has taken this decision after a meeting on the law and order situation of the state in which a representative of the Assam government was also present.

The final extension of AFSPA was given till August 31 that too on the request of the state government, fearing violence by militants in the run up to August 15.

“If they feel the necessity of the Act, they can promulgate AFSPA on their own,” security sources said.

Security sources however admitted that some areas especially those bordering Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya are sensitive areas. “The state government can declare such vulnerable areas as disturbed and promulgate AFSPA in those particular areas instead of declaring the entire state as disturbed,” security sources said.

The AFSPA was promulgated in Assam in November 1990

ARMED Forces (Special Powers) Acts, are Acts that grant special powers to the Army in “disturbed areas”.

ONE SUCH Act, passed in 1958, was applicable to the ‘Seven-Sister-States’ in the Northeast