GUWAHATI: Assam has constituted a commission under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution for the alteration of area of Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD), currently spread over four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri.
A notification in this regard was issued on Monday by G.D Tripathi, state commissioner and secretary, (home and political department).
“In pursuance of Clause 3.1 of the memorandum of settlement (MoS) signed on January 27, 2020, by the government of India, government of Assam, All Bodo Students’ Union, National Democratic Front of Bodoland, the Governor of Assam has constituted a commission under Paragraph 14 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution for the alteration of area of BTAD,” the notification read.
The five-member commission is headed by former chief secretary, PP Verma as chairman, along with the administrator Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) ; ABSU vice-president, Jayanta Basumatary and Dalim Bayan, convenor, Red Cross, Udalguri as members, and the joint secretary to the Assam home and political department as secretary.
The commission will submit its recommendations within six months from the date of this notification.
The commission will examine and recommend on matters regarding inclusion of villages contiguous to BTAD and having majority tribal population, as demanded by Bodo organizations as well as exclusion of villages currently under BTAD which are contiguous to non-Sixth Schedule areas and have majority non-tribal population.
The commission shall see to it that the increase in constituencies of BTC up to a maximum of 60 seats after alteration in the area, does not adversely affect the existing percentage of reservation for tribals.
According to the memorandum of settlement, the Assam government may consider reorganising the districts consequent to alteration of area of BTAD on administrative considerations.
“Excellent news for both Bodo and non-Bodo communities. This committee will finally resolve the most contentious issue on the basis of free will,” Assam minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted.
According to the Bodo peace accord, villages contiguous to BTAD with a Bodo population of more than 50 per cent can apply to be included within its boundary, while villages within BTAD which are contiguous to its boundary and have a non-Bodo population of over 50 per cent can apply to be excluded from its area.