Karbi Anglong was a district of the state of Assam in northeastern India, administered as part of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. It was the largest district in Assam by area. In 2016, the district was bifurcated into two separate districts — Karbi Anglong (also referred to as East Karbi Anglong) and West Karbi Anglong — each with its own headquarters.
| Name | Karbi Anglong district |
|---|---|
| State | Assam |
| Country | India |
| Headquarters | Diphu |
| Status | Former district (bifurcated in 2016) |
| Successor districts | Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong |
| Autonomous body | Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council |
| Constitutional status | Sixth Schedule area |
The district lay in central Assam and covered a large hilly tract on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra. The terrain is dominated by the Karbi Plateau, with forests, undulating hills and small river valleys. Important rivers flowing through the area include the Kopili, Dhansiri and Jamuna. The administrative headquarters was at Diphu, which served as the principal town and the seat of the autonomous council.
The district was bounded by Golaghat to the east, Nagaon to the north, Dima Hasao (formerly North Cachar Hills) to the south, and Meghalaya and Nagaland on parts of its periphery.
The Karbi Hills, historically known as the Mikir Hills, were inhabited primarily by the Karbi community along with several other tribal and non-tribal groups. After Indian independence, the area was placed under the Sixth Schedule, which provided for an autonomous district council to safeguard tribal interests in matters of land, customary law, forests, and local administration.
The district was originally constituted as the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills district. In 1970, it was split, with the Mikir Hills portion forming Mikir Hills district. The district was renamed Karbi Anglong in 1976, reflecting the identity of the dominant community. The autonomous council, originally the Mikir Hills Autonomous District Council, was correspondingly redesignated as the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
In 2016, the Government of Assam reorganised the district into two units. The western part, with headquarters at Hamren, became West Karbi Anglong district, while the eastern part, retaining Diphu as its headquarters, continued as Karbi Anglong district. Both districts remained under the jurisdiction of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
Day-to-day district administration was carried out by a Deputy Commissioner under the Government of Assam, while the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council exercised legislative and executive powers in subjects allocated under the Sixth Schedule. The council is composed of elected members and nominated members, headed by a Chief Executive Member.
The population was ethnically and linguistically diverse. The Karbi formed the largest community, alongside Dimasa, Bodo, Kuki, Tiwa, Garo, Rengma Naga, Adivasi (tea-tribe), Bengali, Nepali and Assamese-speaking populations. Major festivals associated with the region include Chomangkan and Rongker of the Karbi community. Karbi, Assamese, English and Hindi are widely used.
The economy was largely agrarian, with paddy, ginger, turmeric, and horticultural produce being important crops. Tea cultivation, forestry and small-scale trade also contributed. Diphu functioned as the principal commercial centre, and the district was served by the Lumding–Dibrugarh railway line and National Highway connections.
Karbi Anglong has been central to the politics of tribal autonomy in Assam. Demands for greater autonomy, and at times for an autonomous state under Article 244(A) of the Constitution, have been articulated by