GUWAHATI: Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi has changed the name of Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) to Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) with immediate effect under the sixth schedule of the Constitution of India. The renaming of BTAD as BTR was one of the provisions of the Bodo Peace Accord signed on January 27, 2020.
On the other hand, the governor has constituted a commission for the alteration of the BTR area under the paragraph 14 of the sixth schedule of the Indian Constitution. Retired IAS officer P. P Verma has been named as the chairman of the commission.
The members of the commission include Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) administrator, All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) vice-president Jayanta Basumatary, Convenor of Red Cross, Udalguri Dalim Bayan and joint secretary of the Assam Govt’s home and political department.
“The Commission will submit its recommendation within six months from the date of this notification. This will come into effect from date of issue of the notification,” stated in a notification issued by the joint secretary of the home and political department on Monday.
Meanwhile, Assam health, finance and education minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his happiness by writing on Twitter, “Excellent news for both Bodo and Non Bodo communities. This committee will finally resolve the most contentious issue on the basis of free will.”
