Assam CM Himanta Supports 125th Amendment To Empower Autonomous Councils Of Northeast, Expects Bill In Budget Session

Introduction

In a promising move, the Assam government on January 30th declared its backing for the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, as the state’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was quoted saying. The latest development, which was announced at a public function to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the Bodo peace accord, could pave the way for new governance and autonomy opportunities for tribal regions in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. Sarma had said that the Bill may be introduced in the next Parliament’s Budget Session, igniting the hope of all those awaiting for his reforms in India.

The Bill’s Objectives

The Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2019, seeks to amend article 280 and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The primary goal is empowering and providing greater financial muscle to autonomous councils, whose jurisdictions are demarcated by the Sixth Schedule. These councils are important, especially in tribal-majority areas, in governance.

Strengthening Capacities and Resources

This amendment to Article 280 is the biggest component of the bill. It would enable the Finance Commission to make recommendations for enhancing the financial resources of the Sixth Schedule Autonomous Councils, Village Councils and Municipal Councils. It is seen as a significant measure to fulfill the longstanding demand for more autonomy and resources for autonomous councils.

Support of Assam and Importance

The bill’s passage will be given added significance by its endorsement by Chief Minister Sarma, with the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) and autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) preparing for elections later this year. This bill also has the backing of a joint forum of the chief executive members (CEMs) of all 10 Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in the Northeast, who appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier in July 2024 to pass it.

📜🇮🇳 Assam CM supports Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill.

⚖️ Bill enhances powers, resources for autonomous councils of Northeast.

🏛️ Likely to be discussed in upcoming Budget Session.https://t.co/8zWpfYbRpj

— Swarajya (@SwarajyaMag) January 30, 2025

Concerns and Clarifications

There has been wide support for the bill, though some concerns have been raised. Pramod Boro, Chief Executive Member Bodoland Territorial Council, has fears regarding the consequences of amendment of Article 280. He pointed to the Union government’s possible reservation in giving councils powers equivalent to states. However, Boro further explained that the Government is not against the powers of councils being strengthened, but may have shied away from the idea due to the inadequate financial resources available to the BTC currently.

Conclusion

Assam and other northeastern states are campaigning for the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill that seeks to amend article 371 in continuation of their efforts to ensure the protected status of their tribal areas. If both the state government and the bill get due consideration in Parliament, nothing can be more significant and empowering for the ADCs, which will also go down as a collaborative and progressive approach of the state towards addressing the challenges faced by tribal communities in the rest of the region. This would be an interesting development, exploring potential to redefine governance and development paradigm in tribal-majority areas.

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