Special provisions for Manipur

Polity & Governance glossary

Also called: Article 371C · Topic: Special Provisions, Scheduled and Tribal Areas · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 7 "Federalism"

Meaning

Article 371C was added by the 27th Amendment in 1971. It provides for a Hill Areas Committee, a committee of the Manipur legislative assembly made up of members elected from the Hill Areas. The Governor has a special responsibility, a personal duty, to make sure the committee works properly. The Governor also sends the President a report on the Hill Areas every year. The article protects the hill tribes within a state where the valley is more powerful.

Example

The Hill Areas Committee is central to Manipur's hill-valley divide, which became sharper during the 2023 conflict.

Don't confuse with

  • Manipur's hill councils: these exist only under a state law of 1971. They are not Sixth Schedule councils and are not created by Article 371C.
  • Article 371B (Assam): it has a similar tribal-areas committee, but the Governor has no special responsibility for it.

Related concepts

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