Manipur Hill Areas Committee

Manipur’s Hill Areas Committee is a constitutionally protected committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly that represents constituencies located in the state’s hill areas. Under Article 371C, it provides focused legislative scrutiny and representation concerning the administration and interests of those areas.

Constitutional basis and composition

Article 371C authorises the President to provide, by order, for a committee consisting of Assembly members elected from the Hill Areas specified by the President. The order may also modify the state government’s rules of business and the Assembly’s procedural rules to secure the committee’s proper functioning.

• The provision was operationalised through the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) Order, 1972.
• The committee is part of the state legislature, not a separate legislature or an autonomous district council.

Legislative and representative role

The Committee considers matters affecting the Hill Areas and may recommend appropriate legislative or executive action. It provides an institutional channel through which hill representatives can scrutinise policies concerning land, forests other than reserved forests, local institutions, customary practices, development and administration.

• A Bill other than a Money Bill, if it affects the Hill Areas and concerns a matter specified in the Presidential Order, must be referred to the Committee after introduction for consideration and report.
• Its recommendations and reports inform the Assembly and government, but the Committee does not possess an independent legislative veto.

Governor and Union oversight

Under Article 371C(2), the Governor must report annually, or whenever required by the President, on the administration of the Hill Areas. The Union’s executive power extends to issuing directions to the state regarding their administration.

• This arrangement combines regional representation within the Assembly with constitutional oversight by the Governor and President.
• Its wider purpose is accommodation of regional concerns through representative consultation, which can support trust and reduce governance-related grievances.