Ten autonomous district councils from India’s Northeast, formed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, have called on the Central government to enhance their financial resources and administrative powers. This appeal was made on Thursday, ahead of a planned sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Friday, as part of their campaign to assert these demands.
The councils involved include the Bodoland Territorial Council, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, Tripura Tribal Area District Council, as well as the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo Autonomous District Councils, among others. Leaders from these councils voiced their requests during a national seminar organized by the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) in New Delhi, emphasizing the need for amendments to Article 280 and the Sixth Schedule in line with the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019. They believe these changes could significantly bolster their financial and administrative capabilities.
Speaking to The Assam Tribune, ABSU president Dipen Boro stressed that they also demand the timely implementation of the Bodo Accord of 2020. He warned that if the Central government does not take action to advance the Bill in Parliament’s winter session, they would initiate protests. “We desire peace, but if the Central government ignores us, we will take to the streets again,” Boro stated.
Pramod Boro, former chief of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), echoed the need for accelerated implementation of all clauses of the Bodo Accord. He noted that it has been over six years since the Bill was introduced in Parliament, with many crucial provisions of the Bodo Peace Accord still unfulfilled. He urged the government to expedite their implementation to maintain peace in the region.
In February 2019, the Rajya Sabha had referred the Bill to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, led by Anand Sharma. The committee subsequently visited Guwahati and Shillong to consult with tribal organizations and various stakeholders from Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. Following a thorough review, they released a report suggesting significant administrative and financial reforms for the existing Sixth Schedule councils in May 2020.
However, the committee raised concerns regarding the proposed amendment to Article 280, indicating that direct funding from the Central government to autonomous councils could conflict with existing constitutional frameworks and potentially disrupt relationships with state governments.
After years of protests, the BTR Accord was signed in 2020 between the ABSU, various Bodo groups, and both the Central and Assam governments. This agreement aims to enhance the territorial and administrative powers of the Bodoland Territorial Council, create a welfare council for the Boro-Kachari people, and grant them Scheduled Tribe status in specific regions.
To monitor the Accord’s implementation, a joint monitoring committee conducts review discussions every six months. “In the last five years, we have held over 12 rounds of discussions, both official and unofficial, with top officials from the Union Home Ministry,” said Dipen Boro. “Despite meeting the Union Home Minister and other state officials multiple times to push for the Bill’s passage, no progress has been made.”
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/assam/10-ne-autonomous-councils-to-hold-sit-in-at-jantar-mantar-seeking-more-powers-funds-1598633
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Publish Date: 2025-11-21 08:49:00
