Article 244A

Formation of Autonomous Sub-States within Assam Tribal Areas

Official heading: “Formation of an autonomous State comprising certain tribal areas in Assam and creation of local Legislature or Council of Ministers or both therefor”

Check this article against the official editionAwaiting human legal review

Source edition: The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
Source locator: Part X, Article 244A, printed pages 143–145
Last human source-link check: Not yet checked
Last human legal review: Not yet reviewed

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1. In One Sentence

Empowers Parliament to form an autonomous State within Assam comprising Sixth Schedule tribal areas, with an elected legislature or Council of Ministers.

2. What It Means in Everyday Language

Inserted by the Twenty-second Constitutional Amendment in 1969, Article 244A is a unique constitutional device allowing Parliament to create a "sub-state" or autonomous State within the State of Assam.

It was originally used to create Meghalaya as an autonomous sub-state within Assam in 1969, prior to Meghalaya attaining full statehood in 1972 under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act.

Parliament can delineate legislative powers from the State and Concurrent Lists for the autonomous State, define its executive power, and assign tax shares.

Clause (4) specifies that such laws are not deemed amendments of the Constitution under Article 368.

3. Practical Illustrative Example

Everyday Scenario:

Tribal communities in the Karbi Anglong or Dima Hasao districts of Assam demand greater self-governance under Article 244A.

Core takeaway: Article 244A empowers Parliament to create an autonomous sub-state with its own legislature and ministry without completely severing ties from the State of Assam.

Illustrative Notice: The creation of an autonomous sub-state under Article 244A is an extraordinary parliamentary power requiring a special two-thirds majority in Parliament for certain legislative alterations.

4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions

Article 244A provides an asymmetric sub-state mechanism for tribal self-determination.

Geographic limitation: Applies exclusively to tribal areas specified in Part I of the Sixth Schedule table (Assam).
Sub-state legislature & ministry: Authorizes an autonomous assembly with delegated state powers.
Two-thirds majority for amendments: Specific amendments to the sub-state powers require a two-thirds vote in Parliament.

5. Operative Constitutional Text

(1) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, Parliament may, by law, form within the State of Assam an autonomous State comprising (whether wholly or in part) all or any of the tribal areas specified in Part I of the table appended to paragraph 20 of the Sixth Schedule and create therefor— (a) a body, whether elected or partly nominated and partly elected, to function as a Legislature for the autonomous State, or (b) a Council of Ministers, or both with such constitution, powers and functions, in each case, as may be specified in the law. (2) Any such law as is referred to in clause (1) may, in particular,— (a) specify the matters enumerated in the State List or the Concurrent List with respect to which the Legislature of the autonomous State shall have power to make laws for the whole or any part thereof, whether to the exclusion of the Legislature of the State of Assam or otherwise; (b) define the matters with respect to which the executive power of the autonomous State shall extend; (c) provide that any tax levied by the State of Assam shall be assigned to the autonomous State in so far as the proceeds thereof are attributable to the autonomous State; (d) provide that any reference to a State in any article of this Constitution shall be construed as including a reference to the autonomous State; and (e) make such supplemental, incidental and consequential provisions as may be deemed necessary. (3) An amendment of any such law as aforesaid in so far as such amendment relates to any of the matters specified in sub-clause (a) or sub-clause (b) of clause (2) shall have no effect unless the amendment is passed in each House of Parliament by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting. (4) Any such law as is referred to in this article shall not be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of article 368 notwithstanding that it contains any provision which amends or has the effect of amending this Constitution.

Transcription for reference; compare with the linked official editionNot yet verified by a human legal reviewer

6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations

Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.

Sources & Citation Metadata

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Constitutional TextThe Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)Cited PDF page
Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part X, Article 244A, printed pages 143–145 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.

Human legal review is pending; compare the text with the cited editionNon-partisan educational resource