Border Disputes in North East India: A Study of Assam-Mizoram Border

By Jangkhongam Doungel

This article traces the border disputes between Assam and her neighbouring states in North East India, and observes that it is purely a legacy of colonial rule in the region. Tribal territories in North East India were demarcated in the province of Assam one after another and foot hills were declared as reserved forests which are now the border dispute zone. Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh began to face border dispute with Assam after their separation from Assam. The present border dispute between Assam and Mizoram is in the 509 square miles reserved forest area which Mizoram claims it as its area since pre-colonial era but Assam also made similar claims to it. Mizoram advocates solution of the problem on the basis of the notification of 1875 but Assam advocates for solution of the problem as per notification of 1933. There is no clear-cut mention of inter-state boundary to be claimed as constitutional boundary. Hence, amicable solution of the border dispute may be possibly be achieved only through political dialogue between the two states.

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