North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act 1971
Also called: Reorganisation of the North-East · Topic: Challenges of Nation Building: Partition, Princely States and Reorganisation · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 7 "Federalism"; Class 12, Ch 1 "Challenges of Nation Building"; Class 12, Ch 7 "Regional Aspirations"
Meaning
The North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act 1971 is a law of Parliament that redrew the map of the North-East. It made Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya full states on 21 January 1972. Before that, Meghalaya had been an autonomous state inside Assam, under the 22nd Amendment of 1969. The same Act made Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh Union territories, which means areas run directly by the Centre. It matters because it gave many hill and tribal peoples of the region their own states.
Example
Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh started as Union territories under this Act. Both became full states on 20 February 1987, through the 53rd and 55th Amendments of 1986. Mizoram's statehood came after the Mizo Accord of 1986.
Don't confuse with
- State of Nagaland Act 1962: a separate, earlier law. It made Nagaland a state in 1963, with special protections under Art. 371A (13th Amendment). The 1971 Act did not create Nagaland.