Autonomous Administration

There are several autonomous administrative divisions of India to which the central government has given varying degrees of autonomy within the state legislature. The establishment and functions of most of these autonomous councils are based on the sixth schedule to the Constitution of India.

1. Assam

a. Bodoland Territorial Council:- The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) has legislative, administrative, executive and financial powers over 40 policy areas in the Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts comprising four districts of Assam. It was established in 2003 following a peace agreement between the Government of India and Bodo rebels and is functioning since 2003 under the provision of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

b. Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council :- The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) is an autonomous council in the district constituted under the provision of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

c. Dima Hasao Autonomous District Council :- The Dima Hasao Autonomous District Council (formerly North Cachar Hills Autonomous District Council) is an autonomous council constituted under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India to administer the district.

d. Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) :- An Autonomous Council have been constituted under the style - Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council with its headquarters at Dudhnai town. The jurisdiction of this council extents up to Rani area of Kamrup district and except some parts of Matia, Balijana and Lakhipur revenue Circles, it embraces almost the entire district of Goalpara. The autonomous council has been created to fulfill the longstanding demands of the Rabha people of the area. However, as the council is constituted only for the Ravas, the Tribals like the Bodos, the Garos, the Kochs, the Rajbongsis and others who constitute more than half of the population of Hasong area have been left out from the benefit of the council. As a result of this, there is a growing demand for Autonomous district council comprising all Tribal groups of these areas.

e. Mishing Autonomous Council(MAC) :- Its headquarters is in Gogamukh, Dhemaji District of Assam.

f. Tiwa Autonomous Council (TAG)

g. Deori Autonomous Council (DAC)

h. Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council (TKAC)

i. Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council (SKAC)

2. Jammu and Kashmir

a. Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil :- Kargil is a district of Ladakh, Kashmir, India. Kargil lies near the Line of Control facing Pakistan-administered Kashmir's Baltistan to the west, and Kashmir valley to the south. Following demands of Ladakhi people to make the district a new Indian union territory because of its religious and cultural differences with Kashmir. The government of India formed the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), which governs the area with limited autonomy.

b. Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh :- Leh is one of the two districts of Ladakh. Following widespread agitations to make it a Union Territory of India due to the cultural and liguistic differences with Kashmir the government of India formed the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), which governs this area with limited political autonomy. The first elections for the LAHDC were held in the year 1995.

3.  Meghalaya

a. Garo Hills Autonomous District Council :- The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) is seated at Tura and covers East Garo Hills district, West Garo Hills district and South Garo Hills.

b. Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council :- The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) is seated at Jowai and covers the Jaintia Hills district.

Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council

c. Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council :- The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) covers West Khasi Hills district, East Khasi Hills district and Ri Bhoi district.

4  Mizoram

a. Chakma Autonomous District Council :- Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) is an autonomous council for the Chakma people living in the south-western part of Mizoram.

b. Lai Autonomous District Council :- Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) is an autonomous council for the Lai people in the South-eastern part of Mizoram.

c.  Mara Autonomous District Council :- Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) is an autonomous council for the Mara people living in the Southern part of Mizoram.

5.  Tripura

a. Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council :- The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) is an independent council administering the tribal areas of the state of Tripura. Its council and assembly are situated in Khumulwng, a town 20 km outside Agartala, the state capital.

6  West Bengal

a. Gorkhaland Territorial Administration :- Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) is a semi-autonomous administrative body for the Darjeeling hills in West Bengal, India. The GTA replaced the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which was formed in 1988 and administered the Darjeeling hills for 23 years. GTA presently has three hill subdivisions Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong and some areas of Siliguri subdivision under its authority.

7. De facto autonomous areas

a. North Sentinel Island :- North Sentinel Island is situated in the island chain of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which is a union territory of India. It is home to the Sentinelese, who are some of the world's last uncontacted peoples. They reject any contact with other people and are among the last people to remain virtually untouched by modern civilization. Because there has never been any treaty with the people of the island nor any record of a physical occupation whereby the people of the island have conceded sovereignty the island exists in a curious state of limbo under established international law and can be seen as a sovereign entity under Indian protection.

The local government (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) has recently stated that they have no intention to interfere with the Sentinelese's lifestyle or habitat. Although the island is likely to have suffered seriously from the effects of the December 2004 tsunami, the survival of the Sentinelese was confirmed when, some days after the event, an Indian government helicopter observed several of them, who fired arrows at the hovering aircraft to repel it.

Although this has not been done with any formal treaty, the official policy of minimal interference has ensured that they have de facto autonomy and sovereignty over their island under the framework of the Indian and local governments.