Bodoland Territorial Council

The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is an autonomous district council for the Bodoland Territorial Region in India.[2] It was established in February 2003.

This article is about the council which controls the Bodoland Territorial Region. For the region and proposed state, see Bodoland.

Bodoland Territorial region
Type
Type
Term limits
5 years
Leadership
Deputy Chief Executive Member
Gobinda Basumatary
Speaker
Katiram Boro
Structure
Seats46 (40+6)
Political groups
Government (23)
  •   UPPL (12)
  •   BJP (10)
  •   GSP (1)

Opposition (17)

Other (6)

  •   Appointed (6)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
7-10 December 2020
Next election
2025
Meeting place
Bodoland Secretariat,
Bodofa Nwgwr, Kokrajhar
Website
www.bodoland.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 Region (BTR). 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 is executive committee is chaired by a Chief Executive Member, currently Pramod Boro.

The BTC consists of four contiguous districts — Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang — carved out of seven existing districts — Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang and Sonitpur — an area of 8,822 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.[3]

History

The BTC was constituted in 2003 and the first elections were held in 2005.[4]

Powers and competencies

Executive and legislative powers

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:[5][6]

  • Cottage Industry
  • Animal Husbandry and Veterinary
  • Forests
  • Agriculture
  • Public Works
  • Silk Industry
  • Education
  • Soil Conservation
  • Co-operatives
  • Fisheries
  • Handlooms and Textiles
  • Health and Family Welfare
  • Public Health Engineering
  • Irrigation
  • Social Welfare
  • 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
  • College Education
  • Land and Land Revenue
  • Public Relations
  • Printing and Stationery
  • Tourism
  • Transport
  • Development
  • Municipal Corporations
  • Village administration
  • Tribal Welfare
  • Markets and Fairs
  • Lotteries, Theatres, Dramatic Performance and Cinemas
  • Registration of Births and Deaths
  • Food
  • Intoxicating liquors and opium and derivatives

Revenue and taxation

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][8]

Composition

No party has won an majority in the elections in the December 2020 council election with BPF emerging as the single largest party.[9] On 13 December 2020, the UPPL, BJP and GSP agreed to form the next executive.[10]

Party summary
Party Contested Won +/- % of Votes
Bodoland People's Front 37 17 4
United People's Party Liberal 40 12 12
Bharatiya Janata Party 26 9 + 1 = 10 9
All India United Democratic Front 7 0 4
Indian National Congress 13 1 - 1 = 0 (defected to BJP)[11]
Gana Suraksha Party 35 1 1
Asom Gana Parishad 1 0
Appointed n/a 6
Total 46

Executive Committee

Executive power is vested in a 14-member 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.[12] In April 2020, Siddharth Singh has been appointed as the Principal Secretary of Bodoland Territorial Council,[13] while Rajesh Prasad was posted as the administrator.[14][12]

Membership (2020-2025 session)

TBA

See also

References
  1. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/assam-governor-takes-over-bodoland-territorial-council-in-absence-of-term-end-polls-1671802-2020-04-27
  2. Bharati, Ananta Ram (28 January 2020). "What is Bodo Peace Accord? Read the full text of Draft Bodo Treaty". Indus Scrolls. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  3. "BTC Accord". 1 January 2018. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. Bansal, Kritika (13 December 2020). "Assam BTC Election Results 2020: BPF, UPPL, BJP Fail to Cross Halfway Mark, Coalition Rule Likely". India.com. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  5. https://ucdpged.uu.se/peaceagreements/fulltext/India%2019930220.pdf
  6. https://www.mea.gov.in/Images/pdf1/S6.pdf
  7. https://www.mea.gov.in/Images/pdf1/S6.pdf
  8. https://ucdpged.uu.se/peaceagreements/fulltext/India%2019930220.pdf
  9. Ghosh, Nilavro (13 December 2020). "BPF seeks BJP's support in formation of Bodoland Territorial Council". Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  10. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/assam-guv-accepts-claim-of-upplbjpgsp-for-btc-executive/1992593
  11. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/lone-cong-winner-in-bodoland-territorial-council-announces-joining-bjp/1992976
  12. Nath, Hemanta Kumar (27 April 2020). "Assam: Governor takes over Bodoland Territorial Council in absence of term end polls". India Today.
  13. "Siddhartha Singh takes over as Principal Secretary of BTC". South Asia Views. 29 April 2020.
  14. "Rajesh Prasad takes over as New Administrator of Bodoland Territorial Council". inSidene. 30 April 2020.
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