Boundary dispute: Assam and Meghalaya CMs to meet Home minister

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Last Updated21/01/2022

Union home minister is likely to decide on the five decade-long dispute ahead of Meghalaya’s 50th statehood day
Assam and Meghalaya share an 885 km-long inter-state boundary
Meghalaya, which was formed under the North-Eastern Areas Reorganisation Act, 1971, has a border dispute with Assam in 12 areas.

Meghalaya was carved out of Assam under the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, a law that it challenged, leading to disputes.
Meghalaya bases its claim on survey maps of 1872 and 1929 and certain notifications of 1878 and 1951
While Assam wants to go by the rejected recommendations of the Churachand Committee.
As of now, there are 12 points of dispute along their borders.

Langpih: It is the major point of contention between Assam and Meghalaya
It is situated in West Garo Hills bordering the Kamrup district of Assam.
It was part of the Kamrup district during the British colonial period but post-Independence, it became part of the Garo Hills and Meghalaya.
Assam considers it to be part of the Mikir Hills in Assam.
Meghalaya has questioned Blocks I and II of the Mikir Hills now Karbi Anglong region being part of Assam.
Meghalaya says these were parts of erstwhile United Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts.

Haryana-Himachal Pradesh: Parwanoo is the major border dispute region between the two states.
It is next to the Panchkula district of Haryana and the state has claimed parts of the land in Himachal Pradesh as its own.
Himachal Pradesh-Ladakh: Both states lay claim to Sarchu, an area on the route between Leh and Manali.
Arunachal Pradesh-Assam: Arunachal’s claim is that the re-organisation of North Eastern states unilaterally transferred several forested tracts in the plains that had traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs and communities to the state of Assam.
Assam-Nagaland: It is the longest-running border dispute in the North East
Nagaland does not accept the boundary delineation and demands that the new state should also have all Naga-dominated areas in North Cachar and Nagaon districts.
Karnataka-Maharashtra: Belgaum district is disputed between both states
It came under Karnataka state in 1956 when states were reorganised and till then it was under the Bombay presidency.

Article 263: It provides for the prevention of inter-State disputes by investigation and recommendations by an administrative body.
According to it,an Inter-State Council (ISC) may be constituted ""if it seems to the President at any time that the public interests would be served by the creation of a Council.""
Article 131: It allows for the judicial resolution of interstate conflicts by vesting the Supreme Court with exclusive authority.
Article 262: It provides for the adjudication of one type of such issue by an extrajudicial tribunal.

It was constituted by presidential order in 1990 on the proposal of the Sarkaria Commission,
It is a constitutional body.

It is chaired by the prime minister.
Its members are Chief Ministers of the States & Union territories having Legislative Assemblies.
Administrators of Union territories that do not have Legislative Assemblies.
Governors of States under President's Rule.
Six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union Council of Ministers to be nominated by the
Prime Minister and two Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union Council of Ministers to be nominated by the Prime Minister as permanent invitees.