Government notifies High Level committee for implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord

Government has notified the High Level Committee (HLC) for implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord. Committee has been given a broad mandate. It is headed by M.P. Bezbarauah and includes eminent Assamese persons from different fields. The Committee will submit its report within 6 months from the date of notification. The State Government of Assam will provide necessary administrative and logistic support to the Committee.

The High Level Committee comprises the following:

(i) M.P. Bezbarauah, IAS (Retd.)    –           Chairman

(ii) Subhash Das, IAS (Retd.)           –           Member

(iii) Dr. Nagen Saikia,                                –           Member

Former President, Assam Sahitya Sabha

(iv) Dhiren Bezbaruah,                       –           Member

Former editor of The Sentinel

(v) Dr. Mukunda Rajbangshi,                   –           Member

Educationalist

(vi) Ramesh Borpatragohain,             –           Member

Advocate General, Assam

(vii) Rongbong Terang,                       –           Member

Former President, Assam Sahitya Sabha

(viii) One representative of

All Assam Students’ Union                –           Member

(ix) Joint Secretary, MHA                         –           Member Secretary

The Terms of Reference for the Committee are as under:-

(a) The Committee will examine the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

(b) The Committee will hold discussions with various stakeholders including social organizations, legal and constitutional experts, eminent persons from the field of art, culture and literature, conservationists, economists, linguists and sociologists.

(c) The Committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people.

(d) The Committee will also suggest measures to be taken to protect Assamese and other indigenous languages of Assam.

(e) The Committee will recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the Government of Assam for the Assamese people.

(f) The Committee may suggest any other measures as may be necessary to protect, preserve and promote cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

The HLC has been constituted as per Clause 6 of the Memorandum of Settlement, known as the Assam Accord, signed on 15th August, 1985. Clause 6 of the Accord states that:

“Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.”

The HLC will be serviced by the NE Division of MHA, Government of India.