Guwahati: The regional committees on boundary issues with Assam have been given a 45-day extension by the Meghalayan administration to submit their reports.
As many as three regional committees have lately been established to address the final six points of contention with Assam.
Meghalaya chief secretary DP Wahlang, “The regional committees have been granted another 45 days extension to submit their report to the state government.”
Langpih in the West Khasi Hills District, Borduar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Deshdoomreah and Block-II in the Ri Bhoi district and Block-I and Psiar-Khanduli in the West Jaintia Hills district are the remaining regions of disagreement.
The Meghalaya government established the three regional committees on September 26 and asked them to produce a report on their findings within 45 days.
The Meghalaya high court placed an interim stay on the border deal that Assam and Meghalaya inked earlier this year prompting the Meghalaya government to extend its authority to the regional committees.
In accordance with the border treaty that Assam and Meghalaya inked the Meghalaya High Court has ordered a temporary moratorium on the physical demarcation of or placement of boundary posts on the ground.
The border agreement between Assam and Meghalaya was temporarily halted by the Meghalaya High Court till the next hearing date on February 6, 2023.
The Meghalaya High Court issued the ruling after hearing a plea submitted by the state’s four “traditional leaders.”
“During the intervening period, no physical demarcation or erection of boundary posts on the ground, pursuant to the MoU dated 29.03.2022 shall be carried out, till the next date,” the Meghalaya high court said.
The high court was urged to invalidate the MoU that Assam and Meghalaya had signed by the “traditional leaders” in their plea.
They asserted that the boundary agreement between Assam and Meghalaya violated the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule.
Notably, the state administrations of Assam and Meghalaya inked a deal to settle boundary disputes between the two states in six out of 12 areas of disagreement earlier in May of this year.