📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Dalton, House of Illusions
Politics
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma meets Moran and Matak groups on ST status and council elections
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 15 Oct 2026, 04:31 AM
👁 160
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma held discussions with representatives of the Moran and Matak communities to address their demand for Scheduled‑Tribe status and to outline the upcoming council elections in Assam.
Assam's chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, convened a meeting with leaders of the Moran and Matak tribal groups on Thursday. The talks focused on the communities' longstanding demand for inclusion in the Scheduled‑Tribe (ST) list, a status that would grant them greater affirmative‑action benefits.
Sarma reiterated the state government's willingness to examine the criteria for ST recognition and promised to forward a detailed report to the central Ministry of Tribal Affairs. He also briefed the tribal leaders on the schedule and procedures for the upcoming autonomous council elections, emphasizing the role of these bodies in local governance.
Both Moran and Matak representatives welcomed the dialogue, stating that constructive engagement with the state administration is essential for resolving their socio‑economic concerns. The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold further consultations before any formal recommendation is made to the centre.
The discussions come amid broader debates in Assam over tribal classifications and the political implications of council elections, which are expected to shape local power dynamics in the state's hill districts.
Sarma reiterated the state government's willingness to examine the criteria for ST recognition and promised to forward a detailed report to the central Ministry of Tribal Affairs. He also briefed the tribal leaders on the schedule and procedures for the upcoming autonomous council elections, emphasizing the role of these bodies in local governance.
Both Moran and Matak representatives welcomed the dialogue, stating that constructive engagement with the state administration is essential for resolving their socio‑economic concerns. The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold further consultations before any formal recommendation is made to the centre.
The discussions come amid broader debates in Assam over tribal classifications and the political implications of council elections, which are expected to shape local power dynamics in the state's hill districts.