Demand For Autonomy in Assam

• 09 Jan 2021

Why In News

There has been a demand for implementation of Article 244A for the creation of an autonomous State within Assam.

Key Points

• Background:
  
  • The appeal to the Centre has been for the creation of an autonomous State for the Karbi Anglong region.
    
    • This has been a demand since 1986.
  • The districts are currently governed by two autonomous councils Karbi Anglong and North Cachar hills.
• Definition of Scheduled and Tribal Areas:
  
  • The areas inhabited by the socially and educationally backward ‘Aboriginals’ are called Scheduled Areas.
• Administration of Scheduled and Tribal Areas:
  
  • There are two schedules (5^th and 6^th) of the Indian Constitution which entail the details about the control and management of the Scheduled and Tribal Areas.
  • Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution:
    
    • The provisions regarding the administration and control of Scheduled and Tribal Areas of any state except the four states (Assam, Meghalaya,Tripura, Mizoram) are mentioned under this schedule.
    • At present, 10 States namely Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana have Fifth Schedule Areas.
  • Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution
    
    • This schedule deals with the administration and control of the scheduled and tribal areas of the four states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram.
  • Scheduled and Tribal Areas are dealt with two articles:
    
    • Article 244:
      
      • This article deals with the administration of the Scheduled and Tribal Areas.
      • It defines Scheduled Areas as the areas defined so by the President of India and are mentioned in the fifth schedule of the Constitution.
    • Article 244A:
      
      • Formation of an autonomous state comprising certain tribal areas in Assam and creation of local legislature or Council of Ministers or both therefore.

Source:TH