Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday reiterated that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is likely to be completely lifted from Assam by November 2023 as the law and order situation in the state has considerably improved. He also announced a plan to appoint retired Army personnel as Additional Superintendents of Police to provide training to Assam's police force.
"We are aiming at withdrawing AFSPA completely from Assam by the end of 2023. We will also rope in ex-military personnel to train our police force. This will facilitate the replacement of central police with Assam police battalions," Sarma said.
He added that the administration will ensure personnel belonging to different battalions are used exclusively for purposes connected to bonafide policing, and nothing else.
Steps will be taken to ensure that there is positive change in the mindset of the forces, it will also be ensured that good and professional police officers are posted as Commandants, Sarma said.
Our Battalions are the spine of the Assam Police Force and we are committed to transform them into a vibrant organisation.
Highlights from the first ever Commandants Conference held yesterday.@assampolice pic.twitter.com/YOhA94rR6I— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 23, 2023
The chief minister made these statement during the first Conference of Commandant at the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon on May 22.
Currently, AFSPA has been lifted from most districts in Assam, except for eight districts and one sub-division. The act gives armed forces the right to arrest individuals and search them without warrants. Additionally, it allows them to use force without a magistrate's permission.
''Adequate steps will be taken to empower the Assam Police Battalions so that they can deal with law and order in the state. They will also be reoriented to control the mob without using lethal weapons or using them to the minimum extent possible,'' Sarma said.
Sarma also announced that the Commandants' Conference will be held every six months to foster positive changes within the rank and file of the battalions, ultimately leading to a more efficient and result-oriented police force in Assam. Additionally, the chief minister will visit battalions across the state.
Director General of Police GP Singh, Principal Secretaries Samir Kumar Sinha and Niraj Verma, Special DGP Harmeet Singh and other senior police officers attended this year's conference.
With agency inputs.
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