President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority Bill

President of India Droupadi Murmu has granted assent to the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill 2026, which was passed by the Nagaland Assembly in September.The Bill paves the way to establish the FNTA based on the spirit of Article 371A of the Constitution. (File Photo/ANI)Announcing this on Sunday, Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio thanked President Murmu in a post on X.“I thank Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, for granting assent to the FNTA Bill 2026; unanimously passed by the NLA on Sept' 3, 2026. I thank @HMOIndia for coordinating the process. It's a key step towards realising the aspirations of the people of Eastern Nagaland,” Rio posted.Also Read | Bill to set up Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority tabled in AssemblyFrontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill 2026The Bill provides for the creation of FNTA, granting legislative, executive and financial autonomy to the state’s eastern region comprising six eastern districts: Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak and Shamator.The Bill paves the way to establish the FNTA based on the spirit of Article 371A of the Constitution, providing for democratic, decentralised self-governance at the regional level with legislative, executive and financial autonomy within Nagaland.Also Read | ENPO calls FNTA agreement first step towards separate statehoodInterim council to oversee FNTADuring the transitional period, the state government will constitute an interim council to oversee the affairs of the FNTA until it is constituted through elections.The council will function for one year from the date of its constitution or until the first FNTA is constituted, whichever is earlier.According to the Bill, special constitutional provisions under Article 371A, along with the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, and exemption from Panchayati Raj will continue to apply to the FNTA without any amendment or dilution.Also Read | Nagaland Assembly urges Centre to withdraw Protected Area Permit regimeObjective of FNTAThe objective of the FNTA is to establish a self-governing territorial authority that enables the people of eastern Nagaland to fulfil their social, economic, educational, cultural and linguistic aspirations through democratic, decentralised self-governance within the state.The Bill was drawn in line with a February 5 memorandum of agreement (MoA) signed between the Centre, the Neiphiu Rio-led Nagaland government and the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO).The MoA followed prolonged discussions over the ENPO’s demand for a separate state for eastern Nagaland, which dates back to 2010 and is rooted in alleged developmental deficits in the region. The ENPO represents the Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir, Yimkhiung, and Eastern Sumi tribes from the six districts.