Assam: Let BTC reorganize development blocks in BTR, Speaker urges CM

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary wrote a letter to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stating that ‘keeping in view the sentiments of the people of the BTC area, it would be in their interests that the process of re-organisation of development blocks in the BTC is carried out by BTC itself’.

The Speaker brought the attention of the Chief Minister to an addendum issued by the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of Assam, regarding the constitution of the District Level Committee for BTC in addition to the earlier District Level Committee notified for re-organisation of development blocks. “It appears that the state government has constituted a district level committee for BTC in addition to the earlier district level committee. It is a matter of record that BTC has been created by way of a constitutional amendment. BTC is a Sixth Schedule area, and it is a self-governing authority constituted under the constitutional framework of the Indian Constitution. Accordingly, the Government of Assam has transferred all the subjects as provided in paragraph 38 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The subject of panchayat and rural development is also a subject transferred to the BTC authority in para 38(xx). BTC has administrative, executive, and legislative as well as rule-making power on the subjects transferred to it under the Constitution of India.

“In view of the matter, it would be improper as well as in violation of the Constitution of India to form a committee by the State Government of Assam. It would further violate the constitutional mandate for the purpose for which the BTC is created.

“In view of the aforesaid facts based on records as well as on the basis of constitutional provisions, I would request you to intervene in the matter and allow BTC to carry out the process of reorganisation of development blocks, which should be in accordance with the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.”

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