3 - Statement of Objects and Reasons - Constitution (90th Amendment) Act, 2003

Statement of Objects and Reasons . 1. Article 332 of the Constitution of India provides for reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assemblies of the States. Clause (6) of Article 332 stipulates that no person who is not a member of a Scheduled Tribe of any autonomous district of the State of Assam shall be eligible for election to the Legislative Assembly of the State from any constituency of that district. 2. In pursuance of the Memorandum of Settlement signed on the 10th day of February, 2003 between the Governor of India, Government of Assam and Bodo Liberation Tigers, and to protect the rights of the non-tribals, the existing representation of the Scheduled Tribes and non-Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Assam from the Bodoland Territorial Council Areas District is proposed to be kept intact. It is, therefore, proposed to insert a proviso in clause (6) of Article 332 of the Constitution. 3. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objects.