Union Cabinet cleared 119th Constitutional Amendment Bill on LBA between India and Bangladesh

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 May 2015 approved the 119th Constitutional Amendment Bill on Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) between India and Bangladesh.

Under the land boundary agreement, India and Bangladesh will exchange several enclaves which are under each other's adverse possession. The bill also includes the territories in Assam in addition to territories of West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya.

The bill will need ratification by the Parliament and would also require ratification of at least 50 percent of the state legislatures before it comes into effect.

Earlier in 2013, the bill in regard to this was placed in the Rajya Sabha and subsequently was referred to a select committee, which was headed by Shashi Tharoor of Congress. Later, the committee unanimously recommended implementation of the deal.

Background
The historic protocol on the Land Boundary Agreement was inked between India and Bangladesh on 6 September 2011 during the visit of the then Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh to Bangladesh. It was inked following the talks between Mahmohan Singh and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka.

Later, Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her visit to Bangladesh on 27 June 2014 discussed the Land Boundary Agreement with the leaders of the nation.

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