A History of Assam c23.19

c23.19

Since about 1870 all legislative enactments have been provided with a clause showing precisely how and where they are to operate. The difficulty in respect of the earlier enactments which did not contain these particulars was met in 1874 by the passing of two Acts—The Scheduled Districts Act, XIV of 1874, and the Laws Local Extent Act XV of 1874. The latter enactment was designed to specify the laws which were in force in India generally, except in certain backward tracts, which were described as "scheduled districts." The Scheduled Districts Act gave power to Government to declare by notification in the Gazette what laws were in force in such districts, and to extend to them any enactments in force elsewhere which it might seem desirable to bring into operation. The whole of Assam, including Sylhet, was classed as a "scheduled district" and all doubts as to what laws are, and what laws are not, in force, have now been removed by a series of notifications under the Scheduled Districts Act. The effect of these notifications has been to place the plains of Assam in much the same legal position as other parts of India.