TYCM seeks amendment to HAC order
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 07 2025: Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM) has submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the Governor, seeking urgent amendments to the Presidential Order dated June 20,1972 concerning the Hill Areas Committee (HAC), Manipur under Article 371C of the Constitution.

In the memorandum submitted on Monday, TYCM General Headquarters called for conferring legislative, financial, and executive powers to the Hill Areas Committee, which currently holds only recommendatory powers.

The Council argued that the Order, issued 53 years ago by then President of India VV Giri, is outdated and no longer sufficient to meet the developmental needs of the hill tribal communities of Manipur.

TYCM maintained that the lack of binding authority in the HAC's recommendations renders the Committee in-, effective.

It said that in the absence of legislative and financial authority, HAC has largely failed to bring about significant development, with nearly 75 per cent of the tribal hill areas still lacking basic progress even after more than five decades of the Presidential Order's enforcement.

"The recommendation of the HAC is not a decision-making power and does not constitute a competent authority.

Such recommendations are subject to the discretion of competent authorities, and may be ignored or rejected, " the memorandum stated.

Under such a provision, TYCM questioned how meaningful development could be achieved for the tribal hill areas.

The Council also demanded that the chairman of the Hill Areas Committee be designated as the authority responsible for tribal welfare in the state in place of a cabinet minister for tribal affairs and hills.

Citing Article 164 of the Indian Constitution, which mandates the appointment of a minister in charge of tribal welfare in states like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, TYCM noted that there is no such constitutional provision in Manipur.

It argued that the chairman of the HAC is best suited to take charge of tribal welfare, especially considering the unique constitutional arrangement under Article 371C."If empowered, the chairman of HAC can function independently to frame policies, formulate Acts and Rules, and implement its mandate in both letter and spirit to safeguard the interests of the hill tribal communities," TYCM stated.

The Council also pressed for the establishment of a full-fledged HAC secretariat with adequate staff, pointing out that the Committee has functioned without any dedicated employees since its inception, relying solely on its chairman.

The memorandum further emphasised that true develop -ment in Manipur can only be achieved when both the hills and the valley regions progress in a balanced manner.

The existing imbalance, in which the valley areas have seen disproportionate development compared to the hills, must be addressed with special efforts and focused administrative support to the hill regions, it said.

The Council urged the President of India to amend the 1972 Presidential Order under Article 371C and provide the necessary institutional empowerment to the Hill Areas Committee.

TYCM expressed belief that such a move would be a major step toward fulfilling the long-cherished aspirations of Manipur's hill tribal communities and ensuring constitutional justice and equitable growth across the state.

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