The Assam government has extended the notification of “disturbed areas” in eight districts of the state for another six months from April next year under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

According to a notification issued by the state home and political ministry to the media on Wednesday, the disturbed area label has been expanded for Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.

However, after reviewing the state’s law, order and security situation, the “disturbed area” tag will be removed from the Lakhipur subdivision in the Cachar district from April 1.

The Centre had earlier announced the removal of AFSPA from the whole of Assam, excluding nine districts and one subdivision of Kachar district, from April 1, 2022. On the middle of the night of November 27-28, 1990, the state was declared a “disturbed area” by AFSPA and has been extended every six months after that.

The last six-month extension was in October 2022, when the bill was withdrawn from the West Karbi Anglong district.