Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 11 January 2025
The Andaman and Nicobar State Conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) concluded on 29 December 2024, during which a resolution was passed calling for the establishment of a Legislative Assembly for the islands, modelled in line with the setup in Puducherry.
The resolution was sent to the Union Home Secretary in New Delhi by Mr. D. Ayyapan, Secretary of the CPI(M) A & N State Organising Committee. The resolution highlighted the continued lack of a democratic framework with a Legislative Assembly for the union territory. The resolution pointed out that after 77 years of independence, the central government of the largest democracy in the world has failed to provide such a setup to the UT of A & N Islands, unlike other union territories such as Puducherry, which has a Legislative Assembly.
CPI(M) also highlighted that the previous Pradesh Council, introduced in 1979 by the Janata Party government, was abolished in 1994 by the Congress, leaving the islands without a state-level democratic body. This led to bureaucratic dominance, affecting the development and welfare of the local population.
The party noted that attempts by CPI(M) Members of Parliament in the past to push for the establishment of a Legislative Assembly have been unsuccessful due to lack of support from both Congress and BJP. The current population of the islands exceeds five lakh, further emphasising the need for self-governance.
The State Conference stated that unless a Legislative Assembly, similar to the model in Puducherry, is formed, the islanders’ issues will remain unresolved. It urged the Government of India to immediately initiate steps to fulfil the islanders’ aspirations by establishing the Legislative Assembly.
This resolution comes as part of a broader push for more representation and autonomy in the administration of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.