By IANS
New Delhi : Some West Bengal legislators met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil Monday in Darjeeling to press for their long standing demand for inclusion of the Darjeeling Hill Council in the 6th Schedule of the constitution.
An all-party delegation of the West Bengal legislative assembly met Patil and requested that steps be taken to ensure that the bill related to inclusion of the Darjeeling Hill Council in the 6th Schedule is passed by parliament, a ministry statement said here.
The Sixth Schedule of the constitution deals with the administration of tribal areas in the four northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. According to the provisions of this schedule, the governor of the state can declare certain tribal areas as autonomous for the purpose of administration.
Assuring speedy redressal of their demand, Patil told the delegation that the bill had already been introduced in parliament and was being considered by a committee headed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader and MP Sushma Swaraj.
Patil assured that necessary action would be taken after the committee gives its report.