Govt puts on hold Assam Rifles powers to arrest, search without warrant

“Assam Rifles personnel will exercise these powers and discharge their duties “under sub-section(1) of section 41, sections 47, 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 149, 150, 151 and 152 of the CrPC within the local limits of the area comprised within the border districts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram”, the notification further said.

Talking to The Indian Express, an MHA official said the issue has acquired urgency for effective enforcement of Free Movement Regime on the Indo-Myanmar border (on the 16 km belt on either side). “The Free Movement Regime was streamlined after the bilateral agreement between India and Myanmar on Land Border Crossing was finalized in 2018. This will require giving suitable powers to BGF under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Passport Act, 1967 and Passport Entry into India Act, 1920,” the official said

The powers under the Criminal procedure Code were available to Assam Rifles under the Assam Rifles Act, 1941. However, after the coming of the new Assam Rifles Act 2006, the issue of re-conferring these powers has remained under consideration since then, the MHA official added.

The Assam Rifles is the leading counter-insurgency force in the Northeast. It also guards the sensitive India-Myanmar border.