• Government has notified the High Level Committee (HLC) for implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord.
• The Committee will submit its report within 6 months from the date of notification.

Mandate

• The Committee will examine the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
• It will assess and recommend the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people.
• It will also suggest measures to be taken to protect Assamese and other indigenous languages of Assam and any other measures as may be necessary to protect, preserve and promote cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

Assam Accord

• It is a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed between representatives of the Government of India and the leaders of the Assam Movement in New Delhi on 15 August 1985.
• A six-year agitation demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) in 1979. It culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord.
   

  Some important clauses of Assam Accord

  Clause 5:

  • For purposes of detection and deletion of foreigners, 1.1.1966 shall be the base date and year.
  • All persons who came to Assam prior to 1.1.1966, including those amongst them whose name appeared on the electoral rolls used in 1967 elections, shall be regularized
  • Foreigners who came to Assam after 1.1.1966 (inclusive) and upto 24th March, 1971 shall be detected in accordance with the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order 1964.

  Clauses 6:

  • Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

  Clause 7: 

  • The Government takes this opportunity to renew their commitment for the speedy all round economic development of Assam, so as to improve the standard of living of the people. Special emphasis will be placed on education and science & technology through establishment of national institutions.

  Clause 9:

  • The international border shall be made secured against future infiltration by erection of physical barriers like walls, barbed wire fencing and other obstacles at appropriate places.
  • Patrolling by security forces on land and riverine routes all along international border shall be adequately intensified.
  • In order to further strengthen the security arrangements, to prevent effectively future infiltration, an adequate number of check posts shall be set up.