On  the  30th  June, 1986, a Memorandum of Settlement on  Mizoram  was
signed  by the Government of India and the Government of Mizoram  with
the  Mizo  National  front  which envisages  among  other   things  the
conferment  of statehood on the Union territory of Mizoram subject  to
the  other stipulations contained in the Memorandum.  Paragraph 4.2 of
the  Memorandum provides that to give effect to the decision "all  the
necessary  legislative and administrative measures will be undertaken,
including  those  for the enactment of Bills for the amendment of  the
Constitution  and  other  laws  for the  conferment  of   statehood  as
aforesaid, to come into effect on a date to be notified by the Central
Government".

2. Paragraph 4.3 of the Memorandum provides as follows:-

Acts  of Parliament shall not apply to the new State of Mizoram unless
so decided by the Mizoram Legislature with regard to-

(i) religious or social practices of Mizos;

(ii) Mizo customary law and procedure;

(iii) administration of civil and criminal justice involving
decisions according to Mizo Customary law;

(iv) ownership and transfer of land.

The  above  provision will not, however, apply in the case of  Central
Acts  which are in force in the Union territory of Mizoram immediately
before  the date on which THE CONSTITUTION (Amendment) Act comes  into
force.

3.   The Memorandum also provides that the Legislative Assembly of the
proposed  new  State  of Mizoram will consist of not less  than   forty
members.

4.  As the matters specified in paragraphs 2 and 3 are peculiar to the
proposed new State of Mizoram, provisions with respect thereto have to
be  made  in the Constitution itself.  This Bill accordingly seeks  to
amend  the  Constitution  to  provide for the  aforesaid   matters.   A
separate  Bill  for  the establishment of the new State  relatable   to
article 2 is also being introduced.

NEW DELHI;                                           BUTA SINGH.

The 1st August, 1986.

                              ACT, 1986

        THE CONSTITUTION (FIFTY-THIRD AMENDMENT)
                              ACT, 1986

                                                [14th August, 1986.]

An Act further to amend the Constitution of India.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-seventh Year of the Republic
of India as follows:-

1.   Short  title  and commencement.-(1) This Act may  be  called  the
Constitution (Fifty-third Amendment) Act, 1986.

(2)  It  shall  come  into  force on  such  date_672  as  the  Central
Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

2.   Insertion  of  new  article    371G.-After  article  371F  of  the
Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, namely:-

"371G.    Special    provision   with  respect    to   the    State   of
Mizoram.-Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution,-

(a) no Act of Parliament in respect of-

(i) religious or social practices of the Mizos,

(ii) Mizo customary law and procedure,

(iii) administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions
according to Mizo customary law,

(iv) ownership and transfer of land,

shall apply to the State of Mizoram unless the Legislative Assembly of
the State of Mizoram by a resolution so decides:

Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to any Central Act in
force  in  the  Union  territory of  Mizoram  immediately   before  the
commencement of THE CONSTITUTION (Fifty-third Amendment) Act, 1986;

(b)  the Legislative Assembly of the State of Mizoram shall consist of
not less than forty members.".