Karbi youth demand revocation of land patta to non-tribal

KSYC leader submitting memorandum to KAAC secretary in-charge of Land and Revenue Department on May 19.

• DIPHU — The Karbi Students and Youth Council (KSYC) on May 19 submitted a memorandum to the secretary in-charge of Land and Revenue Department of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) urging for immediate suspension and revocation on issuance of land patta to non-tribal, which it claimed was in violation of Mikir Hills District (Transfer of Land) Act, 1959.
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• In a memorandum, KSYC, as a representative body of the indigenous youth and tribal communities of Karbi Anglong, expressed deep concern and strong opposition to the ongoing violations of the Mikir Hills District (Transfer of Land) Act, 1959. It argued that the issuance of land pattas to non-tribal individuals without due approval from the executive committee constituted a direct and serious breach of the legal framework established to safeguard tribal land rights.

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• The memorandum further stated that the increasing frequency of such violations not only undermined the spirit and letter of the Act but also disregarded the constitutional protections guaranteed under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
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• It claimed that those actions are displacing indigenous communities, weakening their economic foundations and eroding their cultural heritage.
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• “The situation, if left unaddressed, will result in irreversible damage to tribal autonomy and inter-community relations. This is not merely a legal infraction—it is a breakdown of institutional responsibility and a betrayal of the trust reposed in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council to act as custodians of tribal welfare and governance,” the memorandum mentioned.
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• The students’ organisation has demanded that all land pattas issued in contravention of the 1959 Act must be immediately and unconditionally suspended, pending a comprehensive legal review.
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• “All land pattas granted to non-tribals without prior sanction from the executive committee must be revoked without exception in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Provisions under Section 5 (Ejectment) and Section 6 (Penalties) must be strictly enforced to hold violators accountable regardless of position or influence,” it added.