The legal-political discourse at the time of drafting of independent India’s Constitution resulted in a unique constitutional arrangement guaranteeing a model of self-government through setting up Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) for some of India’s designated tribal communities. This constitutional modality governing the tribal majority regions in India’s North-east is known as the Sixth Schedule. Given the pre-existing tribal institutions, it was implied that ADCs were to act as ‘bridges of governance’ between the state and traditional polity. This article tries to look at the nature of governance and gaps in governance through the lens of ADCs.
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