The committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord has suggested the introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Assam besides making 1951 as cut-off year for defining ‘indigenous’ people of the state.
The committee is headed by Justice (retired) Biplab Kumar Sharma.
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The 14-member committee has already completed its report and is waiting for union home minister Amit Shah’s appointment for officially handing over the report.
Sources said the committee has unanimously recommended that those, who were residents of Assam in 1951 and their descendants, irrespective of community, caste, language, religion or heritage, will be considered as ‘indigenous’ people of the state.
Till date, there were differences of opinion over the cut-off date for identifying the indigenous people of Assam.
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However, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) update process was carried out in Assam on the basis of 1971 as the cut-off year for identifying who are the Indians.
The updated NRC was, however, literally not accepted by the BJP-led Assam government.
The committee members, according to sources, also suggested that the ILP be introduced in Assam so that the infiltration of outsiders could be controlled.
The ILP, notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, has been in operation in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur.
People, who want to visit these ILP areas, need to take prior permission from authorities.
Officials in the union home ministry, who are aware of the report, said the committee has also suggested two different options for the reservation of seats for the indigenous people in the Assam Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies of the state.
It has also reportedly suggested 67 percent quota for the indigenous people.
Besides, the committee in its report suggested 67 per cent reservation for the indigenous people and 16 percent reservation for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, said sources.
In the case of state government jobs, the committee recommended 80 percent reservation for the locals.
Several other recommendations were also made for the protection and growth of the Assamese and other indigenous languages.
Sources said union home minister Amit Shah is likely to meet the committee members in New Delhi either on February 20 or 21.