Sixth Schedule

Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India: Provisions as to the Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram

Articles 244(2) and 275(1)

The Sixth Schedule provides a special framework for governing tribal-dominated areas in the north-eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, granting them a degree of autonomy distinct from the rest of India. It establishes Autonomous District Councils and Regional Councils with powers to make laws on subjects like land, forests, village administration, inheritance, marriage, and social customs, while also allowing them to constitute village courts for trying certain disputes. This mechanism matters because it seeks to protect the distinct cultural, social, and land-tenure systems of tribal communities from being overridden by ordinary state legislation, thereby balancing local self-governance with national integration. It also empowers these councils to levy certain taxes, manage mineral licensing royalties, and regulate moneylending and trade by non-tribals to safeguard tribal interests. Notable entries include the constitution and powers of District and Regional Councils, provisions for the administration of justice through village and district councils, and special powers of the Governor to modify or annul acts of these councils in specific circumstances. The Schedule has been amended several times, including through the Sixth Schedule (Amendment) Acts, to accommodate the creation of new autonomous councils and changing political arrangements in the region.

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