Arunachal Pradesh, fighting a 26-year-old law suit filed by Assam, today moved the Supreme Court alleging that certain constructions were being raised by its neighbouring state within the disputed areas.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice T S Thakur sought a response from Assam government within two weeks on the interim application of Arunachal Pradesh.
During the brief hearing, the counsel for Assam assured the bench that in the meantime, it would not continue with the construction work in those areas.
Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have been embroiled in a boundary dispute along a 792 square kilometer area they share.
Assam had filed the law suit on the boundary dispute way back in 1989 and recently, the apex court has framed the issues to be decided in the case.
"Whether the plaint does not disclose a cause of action? Whether the present suit for determination and/or demarcation of the boundaries between the two disputing States, is barred by Article 3 of the Constitution of India?..," the bench, which also comprised justices R K Agrawal and R Banumathi, had said.
"Whether the boundary, delineated in the Survey of India map published in 1984 and as delineated in greater detail in 29 topographical maps prepared by Survey of India set out in Schedule I to the plaint represents the true Constitutional boundary between the State of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh...
"In case Issue No.1 is found in the negative, what is the true Constitutional boundary between the two States of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh?," the court had said while specifying the points of dispute.
It had then asked Assam to lead evidence in support of its claim.
Various tribes of Arunachal Pradesh "exercised traditional customary rights over adjoining plains of Assam which was duly acknowledged by Ahom rulers and Britishers ... and thereafter, claims for adjustment of territory made by Arunachal is based on historical facts and traditional rights of the people over land in disputed areas," an Arunachal Pradesh minister had recently said.
