The Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution provides a framework for administering tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, granting them autonomy to safeguard tribal culture, land, and governance.
- To protect tribal land and resources and prohibits the transfer of such resources to non-tribal individuals or communities.
- To ensure the tribal communities are not exploited or marginalized by non-tribal populations and that their cultural and social identities are preserved and promoted.
Autonomous District Council (ADC)
- Constitutional Provisions: Under Article 244(2) and Article 275(1), tribal areas form autonomous districts and potentially autonomous regions.
- Governors Role
- The governor is empowered to organise and re-organise the autonomous districts.
- If there are different tribes in an autonomous district, the governor can divide the district into several autonomous regions.
- Composition: Each autonomous district has a district council consisting of 30 members, of whom four are nominated by the governor and the remaining 26 are elected on the basis of adult franchise.
- Term: The elected members hold office for a term of five years (unless the council is dissolved earlier) and nominated members hold office during the pleasure of the governor.
Source: The Indian Express