The Assam government said on Tuesday that it has decided to extend the Armed Forces Special Forces Act in the state for six more months from August 28, PTI reported. An official statement said that the state has been declared a “disturbed area” due to recent insurgent attacks on security forces and recovery of illegal arms and ammunition from different regions.

The law gives the military sweeping powers to search and arrest, and to open fire if they deem it necessary for “the maintenance of public order”, and to do so with a degree of immunity from prosecution. The AFSPA was first imposed in Assam in November 1990, and has been renewed every six months since.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government had extended the Act twice last year, citing the work on the National Register of Citizens. The final NRC list was published on August 31 last year. However, the Act was renewed first in February and now in August this year.