Know your history | A brief guide into the origin of Meghalaya Statehood Day

TNT FEATURE | JANUARY 21, 2019

#1 Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills on January 21, 1972.

#2 The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their ownkingdoms until they came under British administration in the 19th century.Later, the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835. The regionenjoyed semi-independent status by virtue of a treaty relationship with theBritish Crown.

#3 When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October 1905 by LordCurzon, Meghalaya became a part of the new province of "Eastern Bengal andAssam." However, when the partition was reversed in 1912, Meghalaya becamea part of the province of Assam.

#4 On 3 January 1921 in pursuance of Section 52A of theGovernment of India Act of 1919, the governor-general-in-council declared theareas now in Meghalaya, other than the Khasi states, as "backwardtracts." Subsequently, however, the government of India Act of 1935regrouped the backward tracts into two categories: "excluded" and"partially excluded" areas.

#5 At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present dayMeghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomywithin the state of Assam.

#6 The Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 accordedan autonomous status to the state of Meghalaya. The Act came into effect on 2April 1970, and an Autonomous State of Meghalaya was created in the state ofAssam. The autonomous state had a 37 member legislature in accordance with theSixth schedule to the Constitution.

#7 In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas(Reorganization) Act, 1971, which conferred full statehood on the AutonomousState of Meghalaya. Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with aLegislative Assembly of its own.