The Autonomous District Councils in Mizoram: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

In the Constitution of India, there are 12 Schedules. The ‘Schedule’ of the Constitution of India are those tables that provide additional information that is not mentioned in the articles. Out of them, the Sixth Schedule deals with the ‘Tribal Areas’[i] in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura. These Tribal Areas are administered as autonomous districts. These autonomous districts are not outside the executive authority of the State concerned but provision is made for the creation of District Councils and Regional Councils[ii] for the exercise of certain legislative and judicial functions. These councils are primarily representative bodies and they have the power of law-making in certain fields such as management of forests other than reserved forests, inheritance of property, marriage, and social customs.[iii]

[i] The Tribal Areas are those in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura as specified by the 6th Schedule under Article 244(2) of the Constitution of India.

[ii] There is no Regional Council under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution of India at present. There was one Regional Council—The Pawi-Lakher Regional Council (PLRC)—under the provision of the 6th Schedule in Mizo District (the present Mizoram) of Assam. The PLRC was abolished when Mizo District of Assam was upgraded to the status of a Union Territory of Mizoram. It can be mentioned here that the PLRC was divided into three Regional Councils: the Chakma Regional Council, the Lakher Regional Council and the Pawi Regional Council on 2nd April 1972. Within one month, these Regional Councils were upgraded to district councils—the Chakma Autonomous District Council, the Lakher (Mara) Autonomous Council and the Pawi (Lai) Autonomous Council—on 29 April 1972.  For details see. Brief History of LADC. https://ladc.mizoram.gov.in/page/brief-history-of-ladc

[iii] Durga Das Basu. (1994). Introduction to the Constitution of India. Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited: New Delhi, pp-271f