In a major move to protect indigenous rights, the Arunachal Pradesh government has agreed to form four High-Powered Committees (HPCs) to address critical state security and identity issues. The decision followed a marathon consultative meeting at the civil secretariat on Friday, chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu. The meeting brought together representatives from the Arunachal ST Bachao Andolan Committee, the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum (AITF), the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), and various community-based organizations.
The four distinct committees are mandated to examine and recommend crucial measures regarding the re-verification of Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) certificates, the non-APST offspring issue, the strengthening of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) framework, and a comprehensive review of the ILP Guidelines 2026 alongside illegal infiltration.
Chief Minister Khandu announced that each committee will be headed by a leader of Cabinet Minister rank. To ensure a balanced, inclusive, and action-oriented assessment, the panels will feature broad representation, including members from AAPSU, AITF, the ST Bachao Andolan Committee, legal experts, research scholars, and women representatives.
This administrative breakthrough serves as a swift follow-up to the extensive high-level consultations held on May 27 regarding long-standing demographic and tribal identity concerns. The official notifications formally establishing these committees will be issued by Monday. The panels have been allocated a strict six-month timeframe to conduct thorough field studies, consult stakeholders, and submit their final evaluations and policy recommendations to the state government.
