Bodoland Territorial Council

The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is an autonomous council for the Bodoland Territorial Region established under 6th Schedule of The Constitution of India according to the Memorandum of Settlement between Bodoland Liberation Tiger Force (BLTF) and Government of India and Government of Assam.

Bodoland Territorial Council
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
5 years
Leadership
Deputy Chief
Speaker
Katiram Boro
Structure
Seats46 (40+6)
Political groups
Government (33)

NEDA (33)

  •   UPPL (16)
  •   BJP (14)
  •   GSP (1)[2]
  •   Appointed (6)

Opposition (9)

Elections
First past the post
Last election
7-10 December 2020
Next election
2025
Meeting place
Bodoland Secretariat,
Bodofa Nwgwr, Kokrajhar
Website
www.bodoland.gov.in

The BTC has 40 elected members and an additional six members that are appointed by the Governor of Assam. The area under the BTC jurisdiction is officially called the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD). The region falls within the geographical map of the least developed region in India. The agro-based economy is the only source of livelihood of the people. Industrialisation and other employment opportunities are scant.

The Bodoland Territorial Council is headed by a Speaker and the executive committee is chaired by a Chief Executive Member, currently Pramod Boro.

The BTC consists of five contiguous districtsKokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri, Chirang, Tamulpur — carved out of seven existing districts — Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang and Sonitpur — an area of 8970 km2 (11% of Assam land area i.e. 78,438  km2) comprising various protected tribal belts and blocks in Assam. Its establishment was under the Amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.[4]

History

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The BTC was constituted in 2003 and the first elections were held in 2005.[5]

Powers and competencies

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Executive and legislative powers

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The executive and legislative powers of the Bodoland Territorial Council are derived from the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India and the 2003 and 2020 Bodoland Peace Agreements.

The powers and competencies of the council are as follows:[6][7]

  • Cottage Industry
  • Animal Husbandry and Veterinary
  • Forestry & Wild life
  • Climate Change
  • Agriculture
  • Public Works
  • Silk Industry
  • Soil Conservation
  • Co-operatives
  • Fisheries
  • Handlooms and Textiles
  • Health and Family Welfare
  • Public Health Engineering
  • Irrigation
  • Social Welfare & Nutrition
  • Flood control schemes
  • Sports and Youth Welfare
  • Weights and Measures
  • Library Services
  • Museums and Archaeology
  • Urban Development and Town and Country Planning
  • Tribal Research Institute
  • Education
  • Land and Land Revenue
  • Public Relations
  • Printing and Stationery
  • Tourism
  • Transport
  • Urban Development
  • Dairy Development
  • Municipal Corporations
  • Village administration
  • Tribal Welfare
  • Welfare of SCs, OBCs, Scheduled Tribes and Minority
  • Markets and Fairs
  • Lotteries, Theatres, Dramatic Performance and Cinemas
  • Registration of Births and Deaths
  • Food Processing
  • Intoxicating liquors and opium and derivatives
  • Renewable Energy
  • Cultural Affairs
  • Industry
  • Legal Metrology
  • Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
  • Excise
  • Horticulture
  • Science and Technology
  • Farmers Welfare
  • AYUSH
  • Social Justice & Empowerment
  • Welfare of Tea Tribes
  • Economic and Statistics
  • Traditional Skill Development
  • Food and Civil Supplies
  • Consumer Affairs
  • Welfare of Bodoland
  • Labour and Employment including Industrial Training Institutes

Revenue and taxation

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The Bodoland Territorial Council to levy taxes, fees and tolls on; buildings and land, animals, vehicles, boats, entry of goods into the area, roads, ferries, bridges, sanitation, employment and income and general taxes for the maintenance of schools and roads.[7][6]

Composition

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No party has won a majority in the elections in the December 2020 council election with BPF emerging as the single largest party.[8] On 13 December 2020, the UPPL, BJP and GSP agreed to form the next executive.[9]

Party summary

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Party Contested Won +/- % of Votes
Bodoland People's Front 37 17 - 7 = 10   7
United People's Party Liberal 40 12 + 3 = 15   3
Bharatiya Janata Party 26 9 + 5 = 14   3
All India United Democratic Front 7 0   4
Indian National Congress 13 1 - 1 = 0 (defected to BJP)[10]  
Gana Suraksha Party 35 1   1
Asom Gana Parishad 1 0  
Appointed n/a 6  
Total 46

Members

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Executive power is vested in an executive committee led by the Chief Executive Member.

However, between April 2020 and December 2020, all executive and legislative functions were exercised by a principal secretary acting on behalf of the Governor of Assam.[11] In April 2020, Siddharth Singh has been appointed as the Principal Secretary of Bodoland Territorial Council,[12] while Rajesh Prasad was posted as the administrator.[13][11]

Membership (2020-2025 session)

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S.No Constituency Elected Candidate's Name Party Margin Remarks
1. Parbatjhora Moon Moon Brahma BPF 7776
2. Guma Rahindra Brahma BPF 3789
3. Srirampur Sajal Kumar Singha BJP 7499 Joined BJP in 2020
4. Jamduar Reo Reoa Narzihary BJP 5842 Joined BJP in 2020
5. Soraibil Mrityunjoy Narzary BPF 3527
6. Kachugaon Ukil Mushahary UPPL 507
7. Dotma Prakash Basumatary BPF 1485
8. Fakiragram Arup Kumar Dey BJP 2088
9. Banargaon Rajib Brahma BJP 1975

join bjp

10. Deborgaon Hagrama Mohilary BPF 1982
11. Baukhungri Dhaneswar Goyary BPF 3835
12. Salakati Derhasat Basumatary BPF 4912
13. Chirang Saikong Basumatary BPF 1339 Joined UPPL in 2021
14. Chirang Duars Ranjit Basumatary UPPL 2143
15. Kajalgaon Paniram Brahma BPF 3996
16. Nichima James Basumatary BPF 2781
17. Sobhaijhar Prabhat Basumatary Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 2006
18. Manas Serfang Dhananjay Basumatary BPF 1240 Joined UPPL in 2021
19. Thuribari Abhiram Mahanayak BJP 1859
20. Mathanguri Gautam Das BJP 5123
21. Salbari Joy Muchahary UPPL 448 Joined UPPL in 2024
22. Koklabari Pramod Boro UPPL 3734
23. Dihira Ghanashyam Das GSP 1519
24. Musalpur Rakesh Brahma UPPL 3641
25. Baganpara Katiram Boro UPPL 4029
26. Darangajuli Bijit Gawra Narzary BJP 4347 Joined BJP in 2021
27. Nagrijuli Dharma Narayan Das BJP 644
28. Goibari Pramod Boro UPPL 5789
29. Suklai Serfang Ranendra Narzary BJP 1674
30. Goreswar Pabitra Kumar Boro UPPL 1605
31. Khwirwbari Bhabendra Boro BJP 1119
32. Bhergaon Daobaisa Boro UPPL 6528
33. Nonwi Serfang Sanjit Tanti BJP 2008
34. Khaling Duar Dilip Kumar Boro UPPL 1150
35. Mwdwibari Diganta Baruah BJP 1539
36. Horisinga Sonjoy Swargiary UPPL 1334
37. Dwhwnsri Fresh Muchahari BPF 2736
38. Bhairabkunda Gobinda Basumatary UPPL 1082
39. Pasnwi Serfang Dipak Mour BJP 4471
40. Rowta Dr. Nilut Swargiary UPPL 6353

Executive Committee

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The leader of the UPPL, Pramod Boro, became the new Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council on 15 December 2020 with Gobinda Basumatary becoming the Deputy Chief Executive. Subsequently, a new twelve member executive committee was formed with eight members from the United People's Party Liberal, seven members from the Bharatiya Janata Party and one member from the Gana Suraksha Party.[14][15] But in mid 2021,GSP left NDA and started talks with TMC.[16]

S.No Name Constituency Department Party
1. Pramod Boro
Chief
Koklabari ● PWD, Finance, Education, Renewable Energy. United People's Party Liberal
2. Gobinda Basumatary
Deputy Chief
Bhairabkunda ● P&RD, Soil conservation, Tribal Research Institute, Relief and Rehabilitation, and Excise United People's Party Liberal
3. Gautam Das Mathanguri ● Social Welfare, Mental Health and Happiness, BTCLA Affairs, MSME Bharatiya Janata Party
4. Daobaisa Boro Panery ● Sports & Youth Welfare, and Cultural Affairs, Sericulture, Promotion of Indigenous Sports United People's Party
5. Diganta Baruah Mwdwibari ● Irrigation, Museum and Archaeology, and AYUSH Bharatiya Janata Party
6. Dr. Nilut Swargiary Rowta ● PHE, Information & Public Relation, Library Services, and Indigenous Faith United People's Party Liberal
7. Ukil Basumatary Kachugaon ● Water Resources, Food and Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Co-operation, Welfare of SCs United People's Party Liberal
8. Dharma Narayan Das Nagrijuli ● Tourism, Social Justice & Empowerment, Border Area Development Bharatiya Janata Party
9. Ranjit Basumatary Chirang Duars ● Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Land & Revenue, Minority Affairs United People's Party Liberal
10. Rakesh Brahma Mushalpur ● Fishery, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, Dairy Development United People's Party
11. Arup Kumar Dey Fakiragram ● Health and Family Welfare, Registration of Birth & Death, and Welfare of OBCs Bharatiya Janata Party
12. Ranendra Narzary Suklai Serfang ● Transport, Lotteries, Road Safety, Traditional Skill Development Bharatiya Janata Party
13. Sanjib Tanti Nonwi Serfang ● Welfare of Tea Tribes, Labour & Employment, Economic and Statistics, Science & Technology Bharatiya Janata Party
14. Dhananjay Basumatary Manas Serfang ● Handloom and Textiles, Food Processing United People's Party Liberal
15. Wilson Hasda Gov. Nominated Candidate ● Urban Development, SEED and IT United People's Party Liberal
16. Reo Reoa Narjihary Jamduar ● Industry, Legal Metrology, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Bharatiya Janata Party

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Assam: Governor takes over Bodoland Territorial Council in absence of term end polls". Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Executive Members".
  3. ^ Desk, Sentinel Digital (28 February 2023). "'Bodoland People's Front to go solo in 2024 Lok Sabha polls' - Sentinelassam". www.sentinelassam.com. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ "BTC Accord". 1 January 2018. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ Bansal, Kritika (13 December 2020). "Assam BTC Election Results 2020: BPF, UPPL, BJP Fail to Cross Halfway Mark, Coalition Rule Likely". India.com. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b "THE BODOLAND AUTONOMOUS COUNCIL ACT, 1993 PDF" (PDF).
  7. ^ a b "SIXTH SCHEDULE [Articles 244(2) and 275(1)]" (PDF).
  8. ^ Ghosh, Nilavro (13 December 2020). "BPF seeks BJP's support in formation of Bodoland Territorial Council". Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Assam Guv accepts claim of UPPL-BJP-GSP for BTC executive". Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Lone Cong winner in Bodoland Territorial Council announces joining BJP".
  11. ^ a b Nath, Hemanta Kumar (27 April 2020). "Assam: Governor takes over Bodoland Territorial Council in absence of term end polls". India Today. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Siddhartha Singh takes over as Principal Secretary of BTC". South Asia Views. 29 April 2020. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Rajesh Prasad takes over as New Administrator of Bodoland Territorial Council". inSidene. 30 April 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Six Executive Members of Bodoland Territorial Council take oath". Sentinel Assam. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  15. ^ Singh, Bikash. "Pramod Boro takes oath as Bodoland Territorial Council chief". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  16. ^ "ASSAM MP NABA KUMAR NOT JOINING TMC, BUT OPEN TO AN ALLIANCE". 18 August 2021. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.