(a) Trace out the causes for Inter-State border disputes in India. 7 (b) Discuss the issues and the mechanism to resolve border issues. 8

📝Model Answer

Introduction

Inter-State border disputes refer to disagreements between two or more states over the demarcation of their administrative boundaries, often rooted in historical, linguistic, ethnic, or resource-related factors. Such disputes periodically trigger tension, violence, and administrative deadlock, posing a challenge to India’s cooperative federal structure.

(a) Causes of Inter-State Border Disputes in India

1. Colonial Legacy: Many state boundaries trace back to arbitrary administrative lines drawn by the British without regard to linguistic, ethnic, or geographic realities.
2. Linguistic Reorganisation of States: The States Reorganisation Act, 1956, redrew boundaries primarily on linguistic lines, leaving several areas with mixed populations contested between neighbouring states.
3. Shifting River Boundaries: Rivers that once demarcated boundaries have changed course over time, creating ambiguity, as seen in the Assam-Mizoram and Assam-Nagaland disputes.
4. Overlapping Ethnic and Tribal Claims: Areas inhabited by mixed ethnic or tribal populations are claimed by multiple states based on historical settlement patterns, notably in the North-East.
5. Forest and Revenue Village Disputes: Unclear jurisdiction over reserve forests and revenue villages, often notified differently by neighbouring states, fuels recurring friction.
6. Contested Princely State Mergers: Ambiguous boundary demarcation during the merger of erstwhile princely states, as in the Belagavi dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka.
7. Political and Identity Mobilisation: Regional parties and local leaders often exploit border disputes for electoral gain, hardening positions and obstructing resolution.

(b) Issues and Mechanisms to Resolve Border Disputes

1. Recurrent Violence: Border disputes have periodically escalated into law-and-order crises, such as the 2021 Assam-Mizoram clash that resulted in fatalities among police personnel.
2. Displacement and Insecurity: Communities residing in disputed areas face uncertainty over administrative jurisdiction, land rights, and access to services.
3. Prolonged Judicial Pendency: Cases like the Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute have remained pending before the Supreme Court for decades under Article 131.
4. Absence of a Permanent Adjudicatory Body: India lacks a standing, binding mechanism dedicated exclusively to resolving inter-state boundary disputes.
5. Bilateral Talks and MoUs: States have increasingly resolved disputes through negotiated settlements, as seen in the 2022 Assam-Meghalaya MoU resolving six of twelve contested areas.
6. Inter-State Council (Article 263): Provides an institutional platform for discussion, negotiation, and coordination between states on boundary and other federal issues.
7. Central Mediation: The Union Home Ministry has actively facilitated dialogue in North-Eastern boundary disputes, brokering agreements between Assam and its neighbouring states.
8. Boundary Commissions and Expert Committees: Ad hoc commissions, such as the one examining the Assam-Nagaland boundary, have been constituted to recommend demarcation based on historical and administrative records.
9. Technology-Based Demarcation: Use of GPS mapping and satellite imagery has been adopted in recent settlements to ensure precise, verifiable boundary lines.

Way Forward

1. Institutionalise a permanent Boundary Commission for time-bound dispute resolution.
2. Strengthen the Inter-State Council as the primary forum for boundary negotiations.
3. Adopt satellite-based scientific demarcation as the standard for settlements.
4. Depoliticise border disputes by insulating them from electoral rhetoric.
5. Encourage confidence-building measures like joint patrolling and status quo maintenance.
6. Fast-track pending Supreme Court cases through dedicated benches.

Conclusion