“Assam Police must examine how Indian Army can be freed after AFSPA”: CM Sarma

As Assam is aiming to make the state free from the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday asked state police to examine the mechanism of how Indian Army personnel can be freed up after withdrawal of AFSPA.
“Assam police must examine how Indian Army personnel can be freed up from the state by completely withdrawing Armed Forced Special Power Act,” Sarma said.
Sarma was addressing the inaugural day of the two-day Superintendents of Police (SP) conference in Bongaigaon, where he unveiled significant developments for the state’s security and citizen services.
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is an act of the Parliament of India 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 the status quo for a minimum of three months.
While the Disturbed Areas notification under AFSPA was removed by the Centre from the entire state of Assam last year, it was still in force in about nine districts and one sub-division of another district.
However, starting April 1, 2023, the notification was lifted from one more district in the state, which meant that 
AFSPA was restricted to only eight districts of Assam. The law gives unbridled power to the Armed Forces and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed in “Disturbed Areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of the law; arrest and search any premises without a warrant; and protection from prosecution and legal suits without the Central Government’s sanction. 
The chief minister had announced that his government was aiming to withdraw the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, (AFSPA) completely from the state by the end of 2023.
However, at the conference held at the newly inaugurated Assam Police convention centre, CM Sarma released the logo of the Assam Police’s Special Task Force (STF). The STF is expected to play a crucial role in tackling specialized challenges faced by law enforcement.
“Insurgency has been largely defeated and Assam and Assam Police is proactively monitoring and neutralising persons who are trying to regroup,” Sarma added.
He further asked the state police to keep strict vigil to prevent surrendered militants from going back to the path of violence.
“Proactive steps to be taken to prevent Rohingya infiltrators, smugglers and insurgents outside Assam from using the state as a corridor for transit to other states,” Sarma said, adding that Assam Police should initiate action in source states if the situation so warrants and step up surveillance in railways and bus stands.
During the event, the Chief Minister signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with prominent organizations, including Microsoft, National Cyber Peace Foundation, and India Future Foundation. These collaborations are geared towards enhancing the state’s cybersecurity measures and technological advancements in policing.
The occasion also witnessed the launch of new logos for the Village Defence Organization (VDO), emphasizing the importance of grassroots security in rural areas.
In a move aimed at easing passport verification for citizens, CM Sarma introduced the M-Passport application. This innovative solution is set to streamline the passport verification process and facilitate faster and more efficient services.
Further, the CM virtually inaugurated two cyber police stations during the conference, signaling the state’s commitment to combat cybercrimes and safeguard online spaces