Guwahati: The Government of Assam has constituted a one-member Commission of Inquiry headed by former Gauhati High Court judge Justice H. N. Sarma to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident at the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Secretariat in Kokrajhar on November 29, 2025.
The commission has been set up under Section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, to examine the events that led to the protest by student organisations of Bodoland University and the developments that unfolded during the agitation.
According to a public notice issued by the commission’s office, the inquiry will focus on the factors that triggered the protest and reconstruct the sequence of events that followed, including the march towards the BTC Secretariat.
The commission will also investigate allegations of protesters breaching barricades, forcibly entering the Secretariat premises and engaging in acts of vandalism during the demonstration.
Another key aspect of the inquiry will be to assess the response of the district administration, police authorities and officials of the BTC Secretariat during the incident. The commission will examine whether there were any lapses or failures on the part of authorities in anticipating, preventing or managing the situation.
In addition, the inquiry will evaluate the extent of damage caused to public property and the disruption to official functioning resulting from the protest.
As part of the inquiry process, the commission has invited written statements or representations from the Government of Assam, the Bodoland Territorial Council, Bodoland University, aggrieved individuals, organisations and members of the public who are familiar with the issues related to the incident.
The notice states that submissions may be made either individually or collectively by groups. Each representation must include the full name, postal address and contact details of the person submitting it.
Those filing statements are also required to attach supporting documents, if any, along with a list of witnesses and their addresses and contact information. All submissions must be accompanied by an affidavit affirming the facts stated.
Written representations are to be submitted in triplicate either in person during office hours or through authorised representatives at the office of the commission. They may also be sent by registered or speed post, so as to reach the commission on or before March 26, 2026.
Submissions may also be routed through the office of the District Commissioner of Kokrajhar, through Assistant Commissioner Subham Sinha, who will forward them to the commission.
The commission has stated that the venue, date and time for hearings and the recording of evidence will be notified later, in exercise of powers conferred under Section 8 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952.
The inquiry is expected to shed light on the events that led to the protest and examine the role and accountability of authorities involved in handling the situation at the BTC Secretariat.