Committee set up by MHA on Assam gets one-month extension

A high-level committee, set up by the Home Ministry to suggest ways for providing constitutional safeguards to the indigenous people of Assam, has been given one-month extension to submit its report.

This comes two days after a four-member delegation of the committee, headed by Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma, met Home Minister Amit Shah and briefed him about the progress of its work.

According to a notification issued by the Home Ministry, the committee has been given an additional month to submit its report, from six months earlier to seven months now.

The committee was set up in mid-July last year.

Officials said when the delegation of the committee met the home minister, they sought 15 more days to submit the panel's report.

After their meeting with Shah, Justice (Retd) Sharma had said, "We have apprised the home minister about the progress of our work. The home minister has given a few suggestions. We hope to submit our final report within next 15 days".

The committee, with more than a dozen members, was set up as per the Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord.

According to its terms and conditions, "The committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in the Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people."