Himanta Biswa Sarma promises support, hints 125th Constitution amendment bill will be taken up in Budget Session

“State authorities (of Assam) is supporting the connection for 125th amendment of the Constitution. Government of India is successful the process of bringing that law amendment. Standing Committee treatment has already been over. So…will spot thing affirmative successful the upcoming Budget Session (of the Parliament),” Sarma said.

Sarma’s connection came connected the sidelines of a nationalist gathering celebrating 5 years of the Bodo Peace Accord, a tripartite statement signed successful January 2020 betwixt the Union government, the Assam authorities and Bodo militant outfits that led to the constitution of the Bodoland Territorial Region, present governed by the 40-member autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

Autonomous councils person been demanding the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill for a agelong clip and Sarma’s nationalist declaration of enactment comes arsenic the BTC is owed to spell for elections this year.

A associated forum of the main enforcement members (CEMs) of each 10 Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) from the Northeast had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah successful July 2024 to propulsion for the passing of the Bill.

The 10 ADCs nether the Sixth Schedule comprise 3 each from Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram, and 1 from Tripura. These are elected bodies that person jurisdiction – with constricted executive, legislative and fiscal powers – implicit circumstantial tribal-majority areas. Their nonsubjective is to guarantee improvement successful these areas and boost self-government by tribal communities.

Amending Article 280 of the Constitution volition alteration the Finance Commission to urge measures needed to augment the consolidated money of the states to supplement resources of the Sixth Schedule Autonomous Councils, Village Councils and Municipal Councils.

Earlier connected Tuesday, Pramod Boro, CEM of BTC, had indicated that the Centre possibly had reservations towards amending Article 280 which would past bring the autonomous territory councils, specified arsenic BTC, connected par with the powers of a state.

Speaking to the media connected Tuesday, Boro said, “They (Union government) are not opposing the (amendment) Article 280 but whitethorn inactive beryllium reasoning that the powerfulness is distributed betwixt authorities and Union astatine contiguous and if (amendment to Article) 280 is granted to the council, assembly volition person the aforesaid powerfulness arsenic the state.”

He added that “otherwise, the authorities of India agrees that much powerfulness should beryllium fixed to the councils”. “We (Bodoland Territorial Council) are getting precise small wealth (at present). In taxation also, we get precise little taxation from immoderate resources are disposable specified arsenic minerals etc,” helium added.

The BJP and the United People’s Party Liberal, the enactment that Boro belongs to, are successful powerfulness astatine the BTC.

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