GUWAHATI, Jan 13 – The State Assembly today passed the Bodoland University Bill, 2009 which is meant to set up a teaching and affiliating university at Kokrajhar in the Bodoland Territorial Administrative District (BTAD) area.
The statement of objects of the bill stated that the State Government decided in principle to upgrade the campus Gauhati University at Kokrajhar into a full-fledged separate university.
Replying to the debate on the bill, Education Minister Gautam Bora said that the bill was drafted in line with the legislations prepared for the universities of Gauhati University and Dibrugarh.
The academic council of the university will determine the area of its academic focus, said the Minister.
The Assembly also passed The Assam Entry Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2009, The Assam Taxation (Liquidation of Arrear Dues) (Amendment) Bill, 2009, The Assam Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2009, The Assam Taxation (On Specified Lands) (Amendment) Bill, 2009, The Assam Agricultural Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2009, The Assam Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2009, The Assam Amusements and Betting Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2009, The Registration (Assam Amendment) Bill, 2009.
GUWAHATI: Stung by frequent terror attacks, the assembly on Saturday passed the Assam Preventive Detention (Amendment) Bill, 2009, allowing the government to detain any person for two years if he or she poses a threat to security.
The amendment was made to the Section 13 of the Act framed in 1980. The Act until now allowed preventive detention of a person for only six months. The Bill will be sent to President Pratibha Patil for assent.
Forest minister Rockybul Hussain moved the motion on behalf of chief minister Tarun Gogoi. He said though security forces arrest insurgents, they "manage to get bail and continue with their subversive activities''.
Hussain said the two-year detention period would help police gather evidence against an arrested person. He added that there were enough safeguards in the Bill to prevent human rights violations.
Assam United Democratic Front legislator Athahur Rahman Majar Bhuyan opposed the passage of the Bill saying the six-month detention period was "good enough'' and there was no need for the amendment.
He, however, withdrew his opposition after the state government said the Act would not be misused.
Taking part in the debate, AGP legislator Keshav Mahanta and BJP leader Mission Ranjan Das asked the government to assure the House that there would be no misuse of the Act.
