The Sixth Schedule of the
Constitution of India allows for the formation of autonomous administrative divisions which have been given autonomy within their respective
states.
Most of these autonomous district councils are located in
North East India
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with the exception of two in
Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu an ...
and one in
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...
. Presently, 10 Autonomous Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura are formed by virtue of the Sixth Schedule with the rest being formed as a result of other legislation.
Powers and competencies
Executive and legislative powers
Under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, autonomous district councils can make laws, rules and regulations in the following areas:
*Land management
*Forest management
*Water resources
*Agriculture and cultivation
*Formation of village councils
*Public health
*Sanitation
*Village and town level policing
*Appointment of traditional chiefs and headmen
*Inheritance of property
*Marriage and divorce
*Social customs
*Money lending and trading
*Mining and minerals
Judicial powers
Autonomous district councils have powers to form courts to hear cases where both parties are members of
Scheduled Tribes
The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are design ...
and the maximum sentence is less than 5 years in prison.
Taxation and revenue
Autonomous district councils have powers to levy taxes, fees and tolls on: building and land, animals, vehicles, boats, entry of goods into the area, roads, ferries, bridges, employment and income and general taxes for the maintenance of schools and roads.
List of autonomous administrative divisions
Autonomous district councils operating under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India are shown in bold.
''De facto'' self-governing areas
North Sentinel Island
North Sentinel Island
North Sentinel Island is one of the Andaman Islands, an Indian archipelago in the Bay of Bengal which also includes South Sentinel Island. It is home to the Sentinelese, an indigenous people in voluntary isolation who have defended, often by ...
is situated in the island chain of the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India consisting of 572 islands, of which 37 are inhabited, at the junction of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The territory is about north of Aceh in Indonesia and separated fr ...
which is a
union territory of India. It is home to the
Sentinelese people
The Sentinelese, also known as the Sentineli and the North Sentinel Islanders, are an indigenous people who inhabit North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal in the northeastern Indian Ocean. Designated a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group ...
, who are among some of the world's last
uncontacted peoples
Uncontacted peoples are groups of indigenous peoples living without sustained contact with neighbouring communities and the world community. Groups who decide to remain uncontacted are referred to as indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation. L ...
. They reject any contact with other people and are among the last people to remain virtually untouched by modern civilization. There has never been any treaty with the people of the island nor any record of a physical occupation.
The Andaman and Nicobar Administration has stated that they have no intention of interfering with the Sentinelese's lifestyle or habitat. Although the island is likely to have suffered seriously from the effects of the
December 2004 tsunami, the survival of the Sentinelese was confirmed when, some days after the event, an Indian government helicopter observed several of them, who shot arrows at the hovering aircraft to repel it.
Although this has not been done with any formal treaty, the official policy of minimal interference has ensured that they have ''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
'' autonomy and sovereignty over their island under the framework of the central and local governments.
See also
*
States and territories of India
India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions.
History
Pre-indepen ...
*
List of autonomous areas by country
This list of autonomous areas arranged by country gives an overview of autonomous areas of the world. An autonomous area is defined as an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or has freedom from an external authority. It is typical ...
References
External links
Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India
{{Autonomous administrative divisions of India
Administrative divisions of India
Autonomous regions of India