Article 371C of the Indian Constitution and the Tribal Communities of Manipur

 Constitutional Safeguards, Institutional Practice, and Contemporary Challenges

Abstract

Article 371C of the Indian Constitution was introduced as a special provision to safeguard the political, administrative, and cultural interests of the tribal communities inhabiting the hill areas of Manipur. Enacted in the context of Manipur’s transition to statehood, the provision sought to institutionalise participatory governance through the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) and to assign special responsibility to the Governor for hill administration. Despite its constitutional significance, Article 371C has remained under-implemented and institutionally weakened. This paper examines the historical origins, constitutional intent, institutional mechanisms, and practical limitations of Article 371C, situating it within Manipur’s broader ethnic and governance landscape. It argues that the erosion of Article 371C has contributed to tribal alienation and governance crises, and that strengthening its implementation is essential for democratic legitimacy and ethnic accommodation in Manipur.

Legal Comparison of Article 371C (Manipur), Article 371A (Nagaland), and the Sixth Schedule

Asymmetric Federalism and Tribal Autonomy in Northeast India

1. Introduction

India’s constitutional design accommodates diversity through asymmetric federal arrangements, particularly in regions with distinct ethnic, cultural, and historical identities. The North-Eastern region exemplifies this approach through a range of special provisions, most notably Article 371A, Article 371C, and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

While all three mechanisms aim to protect tribal interests, they differ significantly in legal strength, institutional autonomy, and enforceability. This section undertakes a comparative legal analysis to assess how far Article 371C measures up against the more robust autonomy frameworks under Article 371A and the Sixth Schedule.

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