Reported by Mrinal Banik
Agartala: Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma on Wednesday met Tripura Governor N Indrasena Reddy and sought his intervention so that several bills passed by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) could be converted into codified laws.
According to Debbarma, the council has been waiting for the completion of the constitutional process for a long time.
Debbarma, a former MDC of the district council, raised the issue during his meeting with the Governor and requested him to examine the pending bills. TTAADC Chief Executive Member Runiel Debbarma was also present at the meeting.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Debbarma said, “The Governor’s approach towards the issues we raised before him was cooperative. I hope that the spirit of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution will be maintained.”
He said issues concerning the land rights of tribal and indigenous people of Tripura were also raised during the meeting.
“Several bills passed by the ADC legislature could not yet be implemented as the required constitutional process had not been completed. Those bills were awaiting the necessary constitutional procedures, including the Governor’s assent,” Debbarma added.
The discussions also covered the law-making and administrative powers of the autonomous council and ways to implement legislation already passed by the ADC, he said.
He said the meeting also discussed ensuring that decisions taken by the autonomous council were implemented within the constitutional framework without unnecessary delay.
The TTAADC exercises legislative and administrative powers in specified tribal-majority areas of Tripura under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Bills passed by the council under its legislative powers are subject to the prescribed constitutional process.
The meeting comes ahead of the upcoming Village Committee elections and against the backdrop of several legal and administrative issues concerning the autonomous council.
Tipra Motha leaders have been seeking greater constitutional and administrative powers for the ADC.