Hill state okayed, Assam to retain law, order

New Delhi: The Union government has decided to constitute an “autonomous state within the state of Assam”.

This will consist of the hill districts of Garo and Khasi and Jowai ( Jaintia) in the first instance.

The autonomous districts of Mikir Hills and North Cachar Hills will be given option to join the autonomous state through a twothird majority vote in the respective district councils.

No such option is envisaged in the case of Mizo district on account of the law and order situation.

The Union government’s decision on the vexed question of reorganisation of Assam which has been in the forefront since 1954 was announced soon after the Congress Working Committee approved the Union Cabinet’s proposals today.

The working committee adopted the Union government scheme virtually without a debate. This was made possible because of the crucial subject of law and order in regard to the autonomous state was settled earlier by a series of top- level discussions both at the ministerial and Congress high command level.

The scheme provides that public order and police, excluding village and town police, assigned to the district councils under the Constitution, will continue to remain with the Assam government.

According to a statement issued by the Union government, this has been done “with a view to providing unified administration in these subjects”.

While the All- Party Hill Leaders Conference had demanded that law and order in respect of the Hill districts should vest in the autonomous state, the Assam Congress leaders had made this an issue and urged that the state government should continue to have overall charge of law and order.

In a 1,200- word statement rating the reorganisation scheme, the Union government expressed the hope that the scheme would be worked by all parties and sections “in a spirit of cooperation and understanding and in the common interest of the people of Assam, the north- eastern region and the country as a whole”.