Guwahati: President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill, 2026, paving the way for greater administrative autonomy in six districts of Eastern Nagaland.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced the development, expressing gratitude to the President and acknowledging the Ministry of Home Affairs for facilitating the process.
Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton also welcomed the decision, describing it as an important step towards equitable development and greater administrative empowerment for the eastern districts.
The Nagaland Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Bill on September 3, following the introduction of a revised draft on September 1.
With presidential assent secured, the state government is expected to issue a formal notification to bring the legislation into force. The process will then move towards the formation of an interim council and preparations for elections to the full authority.
The FNTA will cover six districts – Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak and Shamator. Its establishment follows a Memorandum of Agreement signed on February 5, 2026, between the Centre, the Nagaland government and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), after years of negotiations over the region’s demand for greater autonomy.
Under the proposed framework, the authority will exercise legislative, executive, administrative and financial powers over 46 subjects, including school education, public health, agriculture, rural development, social welfare, tourism, fisheries and regional public works.
The FNTA will have 62 members, comprising 40 directly elected representatives, 20 elected MLAs from the six districts serving as ex-officio members without voting rights, and two members nominated by the Governor from recognised unrepresented or under-represented tribes.
One-third of the directly elected seats will be reserved for women.
The executive functions of the authority will be carried out by an Executive Council headed by a Chief Executive Member. The council will have a maximum of nine members.
An interim council comprising 13 members will oversee the initial phase of administration for up to one year or until elections to the first FNTA are completed.
The legislation also provides for the continuation of Nagaland’s existing constitutional and legal safeguards, including Article 371A of the Constitution, the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, which governs the Inner Line Permit system, and the state’s exemption from the Panchayati Raj system.
The FNTA is intended to bring decision-making closer to residents of Eastern Nagaland, where communities have long sought greater autonomy and a more equitable share of development.
The authority’s effectiveness will depend on the transfer of responsibilities, availability of funds, administrative capacity and coordination with the state government.
With presidential assent marking a key milestone, the next steps will involve formal notification of the legislation, the formation of the interim council and preparations for elections to the full authority.