ASSAM: former minister Abdul Muhib Mazumdar passes away at 89

GUWAHATI-   Former Assam minister, a well known lawyer and the architect of the IMDT Act 1983( now scrapped ), Abdul Muhib Mazumdar passed away on Wednesday morning at around 8.15 AM. He was 89.

Late Mazumdar  was admitted at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) since one month and breathed his last today morning.

His mortal remains will be taken to his Hatigaon residence from GMCH and his last rites will be performed today itself.

He served as Advocate General of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. He was Elected to the Assam legislative Assembly Four times from Hailakandi Dist and a Cabinet Minister in 1983 Mr Hiteshwar Saikia Govt as well as in1996 Mr Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Govt.

Mr Abdul Muhib Mazumdar entered politics in 1970s and represented LA-6 Hailakandi four times as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), from 1983 – 1991, 1996-2001 and 2011-2016. This constituency was earlier represented by his father from 1946 to 1972.

Subsequently he disbanded UPPA and became the President of Samajwadi Party in Assam. Later he came back to Congress. Mr Mazumder was Deputy Leader of Opposition (1986-1991) and formerly Vice Chairman, State Planning Board of Assam.

Other posts held by him were Member, State Security Commission; Member, AICC; Vice President APCC; Chairman APCC Minority Cell; Adviser Minority Department of APCC among others.

Mr Mazumdar authored his autobiography “Down the memory” in four volumes. He was a very good debater and have won several prizes in Cotton College and in Aligarh Muslim University. Among many of his landmark cases the one in which he defended late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi against her Prosecution by Tirkha Commission in 1977-78 in the High Court was noteworthy.

Two other landmarks in his career were drafting of the IMDT Act (Illegal Migrants Determination by Tribunal Act) 1983 and Assam Accord 1985 as the then Law Minister of Assam.