In a move aimed at addressing concerns over demographic changes and potential security risks, the Assam Cabinet has approved a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for scrutinizing land transfers between individuals of different religions. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, during a press briefing after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, detailed the policy, emphasizing the need for caution in a “sensitive state like Assam” where land transactions must be handled carefully to prevent fraudulent activities and preserve societal harmony.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the SOP will not apply to land transfers between individuals of the same religion, allowing such deals to proceed without additional hurdles. However, for inter-faith transactions, such as those between Hindus and Muslims or vice versa, the process will go through involves multiple layers of verification.
He said, “Once the proposal is made to Sub Divisional officer and if it is within the same religion, then there is nothing to say. If it is inter-religion like transfer between Hindu and Muslim people and vice versa, the proposal will be scanned if the applicant is the real owner of the land and if the land is real or not, and after scanning, the same will be sent to Deputy Commissioner.”
He elaborated on the subsequent steps: “The Deputy Commissioner will send the proposal to the Revenue Department, and after the receipt of the proposal, the same will be sent to the Special Branch of Assam police. The Special Branch will see if the same is coercive, fraudulent or illegal transfer or not, what is the source of the buyer whether it is black or white money.”
Today #AssamCabinet has approved an SoP for land transfer between persons from two different religions. We will examine such proposals for
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 27, 2025
1️⃣ Source of funds
2️⃣ Threat to National Security
3️⃣ Possibility of Socio – demographic change pic.twitter.com/nFnytDQMzq
Feedback from local people will also be taken, whether they agree with the sale of the plot to a person of different religion or not. He added, “The Special Branch will also analyse if such a transfer has any adverse effect on the local social fabric or poses a national security concern. Their report will then be sent back to the DC, who will take the final call on whether to approve or decline the transaction.”
The Special Branch’s report will then be forwarded to the government, which will inform the Deputy Commissioner to make the final decision on approval or rejection. Sarma highlighted that this rigorous examination is necessary to probe for any fraudulent or illegal acts, the legitimacy of funding sources, the potential impact on the local social fabric, and national security implications. “According to the SOP, the Special Branch of the Assam Police will examine whether the transfer of land involves any fraudulent or illegal act, the source of funding of the buyers, impact on the social fabric of the locality where the land exists, and also the issue of national security,” he said.
He added that the policy will address several pending land transfer cases from the last six months, with decisions now to be expedited under the new framework.
The SOP extends beyond individual transactions to include non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from outside Assam seeking to purchase land for establishing various institutions too. Sarma expressed concerns over recent trends of NGOs purchasing land in the state. He said, “Recently, we have seen NGOs from Kerala purchasing land here. They have organized events which may in future result in a national security threat. If NGOs from outside the state purchase land for educational purposes or establish a medical or nursing college, they have to undergo the same procedure as stipulated in the SOP.”
He specifically mentioned instances in areas like Barak Valley, Sribhumi, and Barpeta, where external NGOs, often affiliated with a particular religion, have been acquiring large swathes of land under the guise of setting up schools or other facilities. “While they claim they want to set up educational institutions, the actual agenda can be different, and the police will probe these aspects,” the CM clarified.
Importantly, CM Sarma assured that the SOP does not apply to NGOs registered within Assam, focusing solely on entities from outside Assam to mitigate risks of undue influence or hidden motives. “In a sensitive state like Assam, the issue of land transfer needs to be handled very carefully,” he reiterated, underscoring the policy’s intent to protect the state’s demographic balance and prevent any threats to national security.
During the press conference, Himanta Biswa Sarma also announced that PM Narendra Modi’s Assam visit next month has been rescheduled due to Vice Presidential elections.
Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji will visit Assam on September 13 & 14 to celebrate Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s birth centenary and dedicate various development projects. pic.twitter.com/U6mLZLI6tt
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 27, 2025
The PM was scheduled to visit Assam on 8th September, but as Election Commission has set 9th September as the date for the VP election, PM Modi will visit Assam on 13th September. He will return on 14th Day. Therefore, all programs scheduled on 8th September have been rescheduled on 13th and 14th September.
PM Modi will inaugurate the birth centenary celebrations of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, and will take foundation stone for several major infrastructure projects.
