News Reporter
CEM Tuliram Ronghang Approves Demand After Years of Community Representation
DIPHU, April 4, 2025 – In a landmark move aligning modern administration with indigenous customs, the Revenue Department of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) has officially authorized Rong Asar—the traditional village headmen of the Karbi community—to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for land transfers within the region.
The decision, approved by Chief Executive Member (CEM) Tuliram Ronghang, aims to strengthen traditional governance systems by involving local leaders in critical land transaction procedures such as sales and gifts between individuals. The order, implemented on Sunday, marks a significant shift in community-level land governance in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts.
Traditional Authority Integrated into Formal Process
Under this new framework, the Rong Asar will now serve as key stakeholders in verifying and endorsing land transfers, thereby reinforcing their traditional roles in village administration. However, intra-family transfers and inheritances are exempt from requiring such NOCs, simplifying internal household transactions.
“This was a long-overdue recognition of the traditional role of village headmen in land matters,” said Bronson Teron, General Secretary of the West Karbi Anglong District Committee of the Karbi Rong Asar Amei. He highlighted that similar practices already exist in other Sixth Schedule areas like Nagaland and Meghalaya, where traditional bodies hold decisive roles in land management.
Sixth Schedule Empowerment and Regional Parallels
Karbi Anglong falls under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which grants considerable autonomy to tribal regions, allowing them to manage their land and resources in accordance with customary laws. In states like Nagaland and Meghalaya, customary institutions are legally empowered to regulate land rights—a precedent that has now been formally adopted in Karbi Anglong as well.
The move comes after years of persistent advocacy by Karbi community leaders, who submitted several memorandums urging KAAC to refrain from processing land titles or facilitating land gifts without first obtaining a clearance from the concerned village Rong Asar.
Safeguarding Indigenous Rights and Customs
The decision is expected to empower local communities, preserve indigenous landholding patterns, and reduce disputes by reinforcing transparency and accountability at the grassroots level. It also aims to protect tribal land from unauthorized transfers, particularly in areas vulnerable to land encroachment or unregulated sales.
By aligning traditional governance with formal administrative mechanisms, KAAC has taken a proactive step toward community-led land management. The order is being widely welcomed by Karbi civil society organizations, who view it as a return to more participatory and culturally rooted governance.
This development is also seen as a potential model for other Sixth Schedule regions seeking to harmonize statutory land policies with customary practices, especially at a time when land rights remain a sensitive and critical issue in tribal areas across the Northeast.