Former Haflong MLA Seeks Limit on New Welfare Councils to Protect Sixth Schedule Autonomy

Haflong, July 13— Samarjit Haflongbar, former MLA of the Haflong (ST) constituency and former Chief Executive Member of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC), has urged the Assam government to restrict the jurisdiction of two newly constituted welfare bodies so they do not operate inside Sixth Schedule autonomous areas.

In a representation submitted to Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Haflongbar welcomed the state’s decision to set up Hmar Welfare and Development Council (HWDC) and Kuki Welfare and Development Council (KWDC) to address the needs of those communities living outside autonomous council areas. But he warned that the constitutional autonomy of NCHAC and other Sixth Schedule councils must be respected.

“The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution clearly vests developmental and administrative powers within the territorial jurisdiction of the Autonomous Councils,” Haflongbar said in his letter. “Any Welfare or Development Council functioning within these areas without following the constitutional procedure would result in overlapping jurisdictions and undermine the powers of the Autonomous Councils.”

Haflongbar noted that the Karbi Welfare and Development Council has already been confined to Karbi-inhabited areas outside Sixth Schedule jurisdictions, and he called for the same principle to be applied to the HWDC and KWDC.

He pointed out that Hmar and Kuki communities in Dima Hasao are represented in the NCHAC, which is constitutionally empowered to implement development schemes in the district. He argued that welfare and development programmes for these communities within Dima Hasao should therefore continue to be implemented through the NCHAC.

Haflongbar emphasized that his representation is not opposed to welfare initiatives for any community but is intended to uphold constitutional provisions, avoid administrative duplication and protect the autonomy of the Autonomous Councils. He urged the Chief Minister to reconsider the jurisdiction of the new councils and ensure they operate only outside Sixth Schedule territories, in line with the state’s precedent for the Karbi council.

The state government has not yet issued a response to Haflongbar’s representation. Representatives of the HWDC and KWDC, as well as officials from the NCHAC, could not be reached for comment immediately.